


To Begin Once More

by BlairDrakko



Series: You Are Safe Now [3]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Memory Loss, Multi, Prophecy, Slow Burn, Sticky Sexual Interfacing, There shall be interfacing., mentions of rape/ but non-descriptive
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-21
Updated: 2019-06-05
Packaged: 2019-06-14 05:02:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 41
Words: 191,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15381243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlairDrakko/pseuds/BlairDrakko
Summary: Optimus finds himself tired, broken, and far more honest with himself than he has allowed these many years. After thousands of years of fighting and war, he realizes just why it has gone on so long..... How does one end a spark, a life, of one that is loved so deeply? If only the other would see. What happens if they both just admitted to their own flaws, mistakes, misunderstandings, and began to rebuild Cybertron in the image they once held so dear. If only they could get over their own misconceptions.





	1. When our Eyes are Unburdened by War...

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own any of the Transformer characters, they belong to Hasbro. I do this for fun, not profit. Also,this is is my first ever fanfic. I used to write in school, and seemed far more acclimated to it then! After years of adventures, work, children, and life in general, I am stepping back into the fray. I hope my writing hasn't weathered too much over time, and welcome any help, or criticism as long as it is respectful? Hope you enjoy :)

                Exhaustion burned through him like fire.  

**_How long has this battle lasted?_** Optimus Prime thought begrudgingly.  

As far as he could tell it felt like days. Sparing a moment to check his chronometer, it merely flashed back garbled nonsense.

**_One more broken part_** _,_ he sighed shaking his aching helm as he attempted to focus on the battle around him.

However long the battle had been going, its ferocity was written all over the landscape that surrounded the autobot leader as he stood high on one of it’s many dunes.

The sands of Jasper’s desert were blackened from multiple explosions  and seemed to sparkle as inky blue puddles of spilt energon shimmered in the setting sun. The scarce amount of trees that adorned the desert landscape hadn’t even been spared as they roared with flames, the smoke heavy, blinding.

Optimus forced his aching gears into motion once more, his tired optics scanning the area hazily. 

Suddenly a familiar shine of silver caught his optic to the left, leaving him just enough time to brace against the powerful impact as Megatron plowed into his side at full speed!

His HUD blinked with multiple error messages, as the two grappled and tumbled down the sandy terrain around them. They must have been far higher along the dune than Optimus realized as their descent increased in speed.

Instantly, both of the injured mechs untangled from the other, and started scrambling at the earth around them, as they attempted to slow their unexpectedly quick descent.

Desperately Optimus dug his servos into the now rolling sands beneath him, desperately trying to reach down to the thicker bedrock beneath.

Tilting his helm, he looked beyond his pedes to where he and Megatron were sliding. **_Primus!_** He thought, panic blooming is his already frantic spark and his optics widened as he realized they were both headed right for a canyon! It was vast and deep, readily awaiting to swallow the two great mechs to their doom!

Megatron slid merely a few feet from him, optics squinted in determination, and protection from the sandstorm their flailing bodies had created.  He was far more damaged than the Prime, the long battle having destroyed most the functions of his jets, and his side plating had ripped open spilling energon as he too attempted to dig weakly, albeit frantically, into the powder like sand.

**_He has no strength!_**  Optimus realized as they sped to the chasm below. Without thinking Optimus threw his arm out to the warlord, yet his servo slipped from the energon covered limb.

_**Primus, NO!** _  Suddenly his spark exploded with a new level of panic as the lip of the canyon slid out from beneath his pedes and open air swept up his legs. With a determined _roar_  he lunged out, finally grabbing onto Megatron’s wrist with crushing force while blindly gouging the other servo violently behind him with every ounce of strength he had left.

There was a slip, a bump, and _then_ the sensation of ripping metal as his digits tore deep down past the silky sand, into the dense stone beneath it! He yelled out as he felt his body jolt painfully to a stop just as his shoulder crested the edge of the chasm.

His slight relief was short lived however, as Megatron’s body sailed on, the only thing stopping him was Optimus’s crushing grip around his wrist. Once more Optimus roared as a ripping, fiery pain shot from servo to shoulder as he clung to his nemesis’s wrist as if life itself depended on it.

For a moment they merely hung there, swaying slightly as the warm evening breeze brushed against their overheated plating.

**_I caught him!_** Optimus marveled, his optics blazing with shock and relief as he peered down at the silver mech below him.

Megatron looked up in turn, confusion and suspicion burning within his red optics. “Let me go, Prime...“ growled the larger mech quietly. “You don’t have the strength to pull us both up.”

Optimus’s fans hitched even higher as he struggled to hold the unsteady edge, _and_ Megatron's frame.

“Your jets were damaged earlier Megatron, but,” he gritted his denta for a moment as his servo slipped a bit closer towards the canyon's edge, “Could you fire them just enough to lift yourself to grab a hold of the.... the lip?” He tilted his aching helm gesturing towards where his own shaking servo was planted.

Optics narrowed Megatron looked at where the Prime had indicated, “Brace yourself,” was all the warning Optimus received before the burning agony of the other mech's weight suddenly was gone.

Megatron fired his jets at full power giving him just enough height before they sputtered, and the flames gave way to merely sparks. He dug his powerful claws into the edge, their claws digging deep into the bedrock below. For a moment both mechs stared at one another, their broken, bleeding frames so close they could feel the heat come off of the other's. 

The warlord felt a strange echo of emotion resonate in his spark as he looked into Optimus's smiling faceplates and relieved optics... It wasn't a feeling he had never experienced before, but every time it happened he found himself at a loss... and irritatingly weaker...

Megatron scoffed and forced his weary arms to move, his claws digging deep with each pull, and soon the two leaders began to ascend from the valley beneath them.

Servo, by servo the two exhausted mechs climbed the hill they had slid down until they reached a safe, level area and collapsed.

Megatron vented heavily as he rolled onto his back plates, his helm turning to his unexpected savior.

Optimus’s optics were shuttered, and he was lying on his side. His vents sent puffs of dust out as he attempted to stop shaking. The Prime's numerous wounds were caked with muddy energon, some still lazily leaking out his life force, worst of all was where his right shoulder met his torso. The limb was barely attached at this point, held together with a few tattered wires, and torn metal. It was a wonder that the smaller mech had been able to pull himself up from the canyon.

**_Why save me Prime?_**  Megatron thought to himself as his venting eased and he slowly brought himself to a sitting position.

He watched as Optimus’s frame lay prone, but his tired blue optics opened slightly, their dim light peering at the now kneeling warmonger above him.

Those optics hardly flinched as the silver mech brought his arm cannon forward, and placed it shakily against his chest plates.

Instead of fear, anger, or fury... Optimus invented wearily, and slowly forced his optics to look into the other’s. Staring deeply, brokenly, yet oddly resolved, at the mech before him. 

“Before you join the All Spark Prime, tell me this, _why_!? Why save me when you knew it would change nothing!” Megatron demanded, the cannon shaking harder now, the loss of energon catching up with him.

With a broken invent Optimus’s battle mask retracted, drips of energon dribbled from his intake but a small sad smile graced his lips as he answered, “I cannot kill you Megatron,” he coughed again spitting more energon into the sand beneath him. “Thousands of years, so many deaths, the destruction of our world and still… still I cannot destroy you.” He laughed bitterly then, optics lowered gleaming as the moon above them rose, claiming its dominion over the sun.

“I... ha..oh Megatron...," The Prime turned his helm towards the sky, his optics sparkling as they reflected the stars above. He struggled to find the words, the _right_ words and he vented deeply before turning back to Megatron. His optics were wide with truth, and loss, " I love you too much to kill you, Megatron. Now, then, and….and always,” Optimus whispered, his voice barely heard over the gentle sounds of night.

Megatron stared openly at the broken bot beneath him, shocked into silence.

 A moment...two…? Time seemed to stop then, and sounds fell away.

All that existed for those few, quiet, terrifying moments were two terribly lost sparks, once young, emboldened with righteous fury, coupled with a common cause, to right the wrongs of a broken system, to stem the flow of corruption, all the while leaning on one another for strength and inspiration.

Fire flared within Megatron’s spark, a burn he had not felt in eons, a forgotten, unwanted, disgusting….and terrifyingly beautiful pain. 

Megatron sat back on his struts, his vents frantic once more as his processor and spark spun wildly within him.

Pain he could handle, by the Pit, he almost welcomed it at this point.  Hate, rage, the searing burn of redemption/revenge... Those all fed him, gave him life, energy, reason for being, but... but this?

Optimus forced his tired optics up as Megatron fell back, the warlord’s helm lowered in his own personal storm, when suddenly the Prime noticed a familiar gleam of fire coming closer just behind the other mech.

_**A missile!?**_ Optimus thought panicking.  _ **Megatron hasn't noticed!!!**_

Forcing his broken body up, plating groaning and energon flowing freely, Optimus lunged towards his nemesis once more... his hidden and guilt ridden love, and threw the startled mech away with both arms.

His broken shoulder finally ripped free with the effort, energon spurting from his gaping joint...

Time seemed to slow as Optimus brought his optics to Megatron’s as the silver mech finally rolled to a stop far from the Prime, confusion burning within his own red optics.

Megatron stared as Prime’s…. no, Orion’s, small, sad smile graced  his faceplates,  and a look of understanding, and relief blazed within those beautiful blue optics before heat, metal,  and fire enveloped it all.


	2. Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Updated with a picture I created. First time drawing a transformer. I give exceptional credit to transformers' artists. The are rather difficult to draw.

    The world around him was on fire. Thick smoke clogged his already overworked vents, it’s sticky residue clung to his plating and vents like tar, yet still he clawed forward. Inching across the cooler sand beneath him, pulling his too tired frame up higher to where he last saw that beautifully tragic smile.

 ** _Orion…_** Once more the red and blue mech’s last image blazed within Megatron’s processor. In that moment he had no longer resembled the Prime, he had been too broken, too lost. In his processor’s optic, Megatron achingly saw the innocent blue optics of his old love blazing out from behind the pretender’s for the first time in ages. Unbidden, and not because of the loss of the Matrix’s power, they had broken past whatever cage that had held them captive for so long, and had been there burning freely, full of purpose, relief, love. That fire within them had captured the warlord within their power just as easily as they had when they once brought Kaon’s greatest gladiator to his knees. He was not about to lose them again, and so he dragged his stuttering frame up to where the world burned brightest.

 ** _Where had that missile come from,_** the question burned within his processor as brightly as the flames around him.  He promised to end whatever bot had sent it, whether Autobot or Decepticon, they would pay for their insolence by his servos.

     Finally he crawled to the edge of the newly created crater, his optics shifted desperately, searching. The crater glowed ominously in the fire light. Some of the sand had turned to almost crystal like formations a result, no doubt, from the blazing heat the missile had produced. The glassy spires, jagged with evil looking spikes, reached towards the starlit sky like demonic talons, and there in the center of the glittering thorns laid the bot he was searching for, or what remained of him.

     A broken keen escaped the warlord’s lips as he pulled himself up and stumbled towards the broken form as quickly as his wounded frame would allow.  As he got closer, the damage became more apparent, and devastating. When he was close enough Megatron found himself sinking to his knees gently, his servos shaking as he realized the true extent of the damage.

 ** _Orion, you fool. You fragging self-sacrificing fool_**.

    The mech’s frame was devastated. His plating in complete disarray, melted down to basic protoform in many areas, thick bubbling lines of deep energon flowed lazily from his broken chassis. Now, not only was he missing just his right limb, but his left leg had also disintegrated to nothing. Megatron invented raggedly as his spark seemed to splinter within him at the sight.  He carefully placed his shaking servos to the deepest wound trying to ebb the flow of the other mech’s life giving fluids. It was then he felt a familiar, albeit weak, thrumming of a living spark.

    Wildly, the silver mech lowered his helm to Optimus’s chest plates, not daring a single vent, Megatron ceased his fans and listened intently. Nothing.

 ** _NO! It was there! I could not have imagined it!_** Megatron thought flustered. He lifted his helm, once more gently placing his servos along the other mech’s chassis. **_Where is it, where is the hum!?_** His servos began to shake too hard making it impossible to safely keep against the broken frame beneath him and he shook his helm in rage. His optics flittered up to the Prime’s chest plates, narrowing with indecision.  

 ** _Frag this!_** With a grunt he moved closer to the torn chest plates and invented deeply. He forced his servos to still as well as he could before he gingerly placed them along the shattered windshields, digging his claws in deep and wrenched them open.

    Blue light bloomed around the decepticon as the Prime’s spark chamber was revealed slowly before him. Megatron narrowed his optics against the glow as he stared deep into the very core of his nemesis…his star-crossed lover.

    Once, long ago, he had known that spark deeply, when it belonged to a small archivist with wondering eyes, and a righteous spark. He remembered their first spark merge to this day, though the memory dripped with abysmal resentment now for what he thought that mech had become, but seeing Optimus so broken, Orion…so broken, the resentment seemed to recede slightly.

    As he peered within the smaller mech’s spark chamber, his fans hitched in fury for just a moment, there in all it’s poisonous glory blazed the Matrix of Leadership. The orbed relic glowed strongly, a sickly, tainted blue the warlord thought grimly. Megatron fought the impulse to pull it from Optimus’s inert frame and just destroy it. It was because of this, this THING that he had lost one of the most incredible mechs he had ever met. Calming his destructive impulse, Megatron frowned as his optic continued to search the chamber for the Prime’s own spark, Orion’s spark. All that he could see was the wretched glow of the Matrix, where was Orion? His search grew frantic until he finally spotted the small spark, dimly shining, yet pulsating behind the cursed relic.

**_Primus, Orion, has your light been so smothered this whole time?_ **

    Satisfied that he had found life within the Prime, Megatron made to close the chest plates as a loud static attacked his right audial suddenly. It was like waking from a never ending stasis, jarring him back to the real world.

 **:Soundwave? What is it:** He commed in return.

    **:On route to Megatron’s location.  Knockout required?:**

 **:Yes, tell him to bring his supplies. Additional in fact.:** Megatron’s optics scanned both he and Prime’s frames begrudgingly.

**:Affirmative.:**

As the transmission ended Megatron exvented, exhausted.

**_Help is on the way Orion. We will rebuild you. You are safe now._ **

    He pulled the broken frame close, even as his own bled out around it, holding the other’s delicately. **_Why Orion? Why now do I see you within this imposter!?_** Megatron thought angrily to himself as he reached once more towards the mech’s chest plates to close them , yet just as his servos grasped the two doors a brilliant green light of a ground bridge opened before him.

    “Knockout, quickly,” Megatron called, optics shuttered against the blaze when he heard a familiar, and unexpected roar.

    “You slagging MONSTER!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the formating, something went wonky from step 1 to a billion. I don't have any beta so kindof just trudging through it all, hope it doesn't take away from the story. Thank you for all the kudos, and comments! They inspire me to work harder!


	3. Blame.

     Ratchet froze as he exited the ground bridge, optics wide as he surveyed the scene before him.

      Megatron sat there helm lowered, servos still grasping onto the Optimus’s chest plates as his ruined frame was splayed out over Megatron’s legs, the Matrix glowing bright exposed for all the world to see.

     “Knockout quickly,” the warmonger’s voice growled out breaking Ratchet from his sudden paralysis, and he roared in return.

     “You slagging MONSTER!”

      Dropping his medical supplies carelessly from his trembling servos, Ratchet brought forth his blades, the vicious medical knives reflecting an eerie mixture of the Martrix’s light, and the fires that encircled the three mechs.

      Megatron’s optics recovered from the shock of the ground bridge’s blaze to behold the Autobot’s medic, armed, and seething  as the orange and white bot strode towards him.

      “Stop now medic, this is not what it appears,” Megatron started lifting his servos from Optimus’s spark chamber and slowly into the air above his helm.

      “You can frag off Megatron, this is exactly what it looks like! Back away from him now!” Ratchet transformed one knife back to his servo and immediately commed base.

**:Arcee, I need all able bots here now! :**

**:Ratchet, you know that is only me at this point right?:** Arcee countered cautiously.

**:Get Bulkhead’s aft out here now, Optimus is dying in Megatron’s lap and I am not about to take any fragging chances!:**

      A fragment of static sizzled in his audio before Arcee responded.

**:Understood:**

      As Ratchet commed his teammates Megatron tried to gently untangle himself from the Prime, easing his pedes out from under his fragile frame. As he pulled himself backwards Ratchet turned to face him full on once more, his servo transformed back to the medical blade.

      “I said, back away Megatron, further, you slag heap!”

      The injured warlord grit his denta as he complied wondering where in the pit his mech’s were. **_Slag it Soundwave, of all times to fail me._**

      Two more Autobots swiftly exited their open bridge behind the medic, the two wheeler, and the slightly stumbling former wrecker. Both had their weapons immediately trained on the now kneeling warlord.

      “Arcee cover us, Bulkhead with me,” called Ratchet as he transformed back to his servos and rushed to broken frame between them, “Primus….” The medic invented weakly as he stared down at his oldest friend’s mangled frame, his optics hollow and gleaming. The expression only lasted a moment before grim determination replaced it. He bent down, gingerly closing the cracked chest plates, the blazing glow from the Matrix finally gone.

      “We have to do this easy, and slow Bulkhead,” Ratchet looked up at green mech, his optics grave. “With this amount of damage, any amount of shock could overtax his spark, or processor, effectively extinguishing one or both.”

      “Oh. …oh ok Ratch, ok. Oh, boss bot,” Bulkhead knelt down as carefully as his large damaged frame would allow.

      “Slip your servos beneath him here, and here Bulkhead, I will steady his helm. No, not that fast you aft!”

       Bulkhead flinched at the words, fear spinning within his spark. One reason being out of fear of Ratchet’s fury, and two, and  more importantly, out of the fear of doing even more damage to the fragile bot he was attempting to lift.

       “WAIT!” a roar split the air as Megatron started to rise from his knees. Arcee immediately shot two warning shots into the ground around the huge mech.

       All optics on him, Megatron growled again, attempting to keep his fury in check, if only for Orion’s sake.

       “How in the Pit do you expect to repair him medic? Hope and prayers to our ever absent deity!? I am not responsible for the state of your Prime, well, not all of it. We were attacked by an unknown assailant and your Prime saved me from an the explosion..."

       “OF COURSE HE FRAGGIN DID,” Ratchet furiously interrupted, standing suddenly. He too growled as he stomped over to the larger mech. He stopped mere inches from the warlord's optics, his own narrowed, blazing bright blue with purpose, and knowledge behind them.  “Of course he did Megatron! When in the thousands of years of war and pain has Optimus ever put anyone in harm’s way, but himself? Enemies included.” Ratchet's helm pulled back as he straightened before the kneeling mech. “And let me assure you Megatron, were it not to assuredly destroy his already shattered, yet too benevolent spark,  I would kill you here and now without shuttering an optic. No matter the vows I once took as a medic.”

       With that the smaller bot turned stiffly, and stormed back to his work leaving a heaving Megatron in his wake.

        Together both Bulkhead and Ratchet, delicately lifted the broken Prime and began to make their way to the ground bridge, Arcee followed after, optics pinpointed on the still kneeling warlord all along the way. Right before they were to enter Megatron called out, one last time.

        “My ship has parts medic, for the vehicons. They are small, but sturdy.”

       Ratchet paused for just a moment, his servos carefully cradling the Prime’s helm, as he responded, his voice a ragged whisper ...“Why Megatron, why would you help him?”

       The silver mech invented deeply before answering, “I saw Orion in his optics…Ratchet. I felt him in my spark. I swear by this.”

       Ratchet merely turned his helm gently towards the warlord before nodding. “I shall keep that in mind. Let’s move Bulkhead,” and with that the Autobots entered the glowing arch, and were gone.

       Silence filled the tattered desert around the silver mech, leaving naught but the crackles of dying flames.


	4. Oh the Games We Play

Shortly after the explosion…

Starscream transformed and landed heavily upon the rear docking door of the Nemesis venting frantically. **_Why does nothing  EVER. GO. AS. PLANNED!?_**  He internally bemoaned, as he paced along the door desperately considering his options now.

It had been unfolding so beautifully, the Prime and Megatron working hard to destroy each other, like they do, as Starscream circled at a distance, waiting for his chance to strike. He had almost thought the Prime would finally succeed in destroying his arrogant “lord and master” as they dangled from the cliff’s edge. How beautiful his master’s screams would have been as he plummeted to his doom, but NO! The fragging Prime saved Megatron’s monstrous aft!

Starscream clenched his clawed servos tightly remembering, **_Foolish soft-sparked Prime!_**

The flier had then found a hidden landing spot as he watched the two titans crawl back to safety. Both were obviously exhausted, and gravely wounded as they laid there, but it wasn’t long before Megatron had pulled himself to his knees, his cannon aimed at the Prime’s spark chamber. Starscream had smiled darkly then as he stealthily took to the air once more, focusing intently on Megatron, who in turn, was focusing just as intently on the Prime, and sent the most destructive missile he had, aiming straight for the slagger’s spark!

“Arrrrgh!” The flier growled as what happened next played out once more in his processor. The fragging aft of a slagging, fragging Prime, had thrown Megatron out of the way just before his missile had made contact!

“Why would you, you fragging, idiotic, slagging lump of Pit filth!” Starscream yelled out to the night air around him.

His fans spun so wildly he half feared they would fly right through his chassis. **_I must calm down, I must think. Think Starscream, think._**

It had only been moments since the attack, Megatron may not have been hit directly, but would probably have been close enough to the blast zone to receive some of the damage, and as he was already so grievously injured, that could buy him some more time.

The flight frame began pacing once more. The first thing Megatron would do if he survived is contact Soundwave, yes. **_Soundwave._**

Smiling viciously, Starscream turned and started quickly for the command deck. He had a plan, a desperate insane plan, but one must work within the chaos around them.

………

Knockout waited impatiently a ways from Soundwave as the spy bot finished his comm with Megatron. The medic was tired, low on fuel and worst of all, filthy! The last three solar cycles had been nothing but non-stop battles and injured mechs.

Looking down at his energon covered, scratch and dent riddled plates made the medic cringe internally. **_I am not meant for this war._** He thought depressingly as he watched Soundwave turn to him pointing to the case of medical supplies in the red bot’s servo.

“Additional supplies requested,” an audio clip played for the dark mech.

“Additional supplies? I have plenty enough for one mech Soundwave.” Knockout retorted, rolling his optics. He didn’t want to trudge all the way back to the med bay for more. He had always hated the layout of the fragging ship as his med bay was the furthest working facility from the command deck; he was always the last mech to arrive when anything happened.

“Additional supplies..”

“Yes, yes, anything for our glorious leader,” Knockout grumbled as turned and begrudgingly made his way towards the command decks doors.

 ** _Additional supplies, peachy, how damaged must Megatron be to need…_** Knockout’s thoughts were interrupted suddenly as a ridged, and strangely determined Starscream strode through the command doors pushing past the brooding medic forcefully,

“Hey!” The red mech started as he stumbled backwards, optics narrowing irritably.  He glared after the seeker  as he watched the second in command continue his determined pace until he was right behind Soundwave.

Everything after that seemed to happen in slow motion  as he watched Starscream raise his arm, his weapon charged and ready, place it against directly against the spy bot’s now turning chassis and fire.

The command deck blazed in orange light for a moment as sparks and metal flew from Soundwave’s falling frame before falling dark once more, the air thick with the scent of burning cable’s and energon.

Silence filled the room as every mech, or vehicon present merely stared, still reeling from the deadly spectacle that had played out before them.

“Are you out of your fragging mind Starscream!” Knockout strangled out as he stumbled back even further.

As the seeker turned to face him, Knockout immediately wished he hadn’t brought attention to himself, for within the other mech’s optics swam a storm of madness, and desperation.

“I am taking command of this Vessel!” Starscream’s decree rang thru the command deck defiantly.  “Any who wish to contend this fact may step forward… now.”

Knockout, being the only other officer in the room, watched as many pairs of optics turned to look at him, including the madly blazing one’s of his former teammate.

“I uh, Starscream,” Knockout stumbled back a few more paces, his spark franticly pulsing within him. He had witnessed many of Starscream’s schemes to overthrow Megatron over the thousands of years of this war. They had all ended wretchedly with the second in command broken, humiliated, and begging for forgiveness at Megatron’s pedes, but never had he seen him take such a direct and violent approach. That was what frightened him the most Knockout realized. He had no idea what to expect from this side of Starscream, and judging by the look in the other mech’s optics, he was not willing to take any chances.

 ** _If only Breakdown were still alive._** For a moment the medic’s spark ached terribly at the thought, his optics falling to the floor brokenly.

“Yes Knockout?” Starscream purred out raggedly, raging optics staring pointedly at the racer.

Looking up Knockout reset his vocalizer, “Well, Lord Starscream, what of Megatron? He still functions out in the desert somewhere. How are you planning on dealing with him? I imagine our ‘former’ glorious leader, might not be so keen over the change in management.”

Apparently, sensing Knockout wasn’t an immediate threat, Starscream turned and regarded the fallen mech beneath him before placing one of his pedes heavily on the other’s helm. “Leave Megatron to me, I shall deal with him shortly.”

Suddenly Starscream optics widened as they stared disbelievingly at Soundwave’s frame. **_It’s not possible._**

Snarling he dropped down next to the inert bot, moving his helm closer to the others. “Still alive are we? I must say, you truly are a marvel Soundwave. I can see why Megatron valued you so,” Starscream’s vocalizer cracked bitterly before he continued. “Thus it is with a heavy spark, I must relieve you from your duties old friend.  I do hope you can forgive me, but you are far too dangerous to keep alive, and this time,” Starscream paused as he grabbed hold of the other mech’s shoulder to flip him over. “I shall not mi..”

The flier never got to finish the promise as a long black tendril flashed out from under the fallen mechs’ chassis directly into the other’s open mouth. It pushed forward  even as it hit the back of the choking mech’s throat, ripping thru the tender protoform there and  deep into the intricate cables and wires of the lower processor until it burst thru the final layer of protective armor. It remained there just a moment, its end dripping internals and shinning with energon before it retracted just a violently, shredding the unfortunate mech’s helm further before coiling back to it’s master.

It had all occurred within a nano-second, and as Starscream’s bulging optics began flickering out he had a familiar thought. **_Why does nothing ever go as planned?_** With that his mangled frame fell, the clang echoing off the very walls that had moments before rang with the seeker’s defiance.

Once more a stunned silence fell upon the room.

“Well, he always did talk too much,” Knockout blurted suddenly, followed by a nervous laugh. The stress from the whole situation was making his processor glitch. Shaking his helm he moved forward to help the weakened Soundwave to his unsteady pedes.

The medic’s optics scanned the damage of the dark mech surprised by the lack of damage. Sure his back plates were blown to slag, but the shot had hardly touched the protoform beneath. **_Starscream was right, Soundwave is one marvel of a mech._**

Soundwave took some uneasy steps forward, before he turned back to the still reeling medic.

“Additional supplies requested.”

Knockout gaped a moment more before simply nodding as he ran down to the med bay.

**_I am not meant for this war._ **


	5. Glory of the Primes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter...ohhhh this chapter took a bit, tying lose ends and all... I got stuck a bit, wrote 3 different beginnings to this chapter just find them molding well together as a whole. So here it is. Apologize for any errors, just after so long, and the struggles, I am really excited to have it out there. OH, and check out chapter 2. I drew a picture there, I would like to know what you guys think! ENJOY!

Exiting the ground bridge brought the two mechs straight into a scene that Knockout could only associate with what some humans called Hell.

Fires still burned amongst the sparse vegetation that littered the desert, the air smelt of burnt energon, and there before them knelt a broken, mangled Metatron in the center of a terrifying claw like circle of glassified sand.

Soundwave stumbled forward first, Knockout still staring at that demonic scene before him.

A deep growl rattled in the damaged warlord’s chassis, “You have failed me Soundwave.” His words were dangerously low, measured. Knockout cringed at the words, and found himself unable to move forward. As unnerving the Starscream’s attack had been, Megatron’s voice in that moment was truly horrifying.

Soundwave’s frame twitched slightly at the accusation as he trudged on until he stood beside Megatron’s kneeling form.

Megatron turned his helm towards his third in command slowly, his optics blazing.

“You. Failed. Meeeee!” Without warning, the fallen warlord was on his pedes, a servo wrapped tightly around the soft cables of Soundwave’s throat as Megatron lifted the smaller bot high into the burning air.

Knockout’s optics widened even more and his fans spun wildly as he warred with himself as to whether he should intervene of not. **_Primus, not again!_** His panicked thoughts were interrupted though, as a strange crackling voice strangled out from the spy bot “Affirmative. Soundwave’s failure acknowledged.”

Megatron’s scorching optics stared into the other mech’s mask darkly, the servo holding the other mech shaking fiercely, desperately even. Suddenly Megatron released the smaller bot and fell to his knees once more. “Knockout,” Megatron called out roughly, “retrieve the Prime’s limb and then join us on the Nemesis. I shall be in the med bay.” Megatron grunted as he forced himself to his pedes. Soundwave had recovered by then also, pulling himself up and immediately fitting his frame under the warlord’s helping the larger mech to carry himself to the ground bridge.

As they disappeared Knockout ex-vented hard, his optics spotting the shinning, severed limb of the Prime not too far from where he stood. His pedes heavy and tired, he shuffled over to the severed limb, picked it up carelessly and made his way to the open ground bridge. **_So much for the additional supplies._**

……………………………………………………

The tension in the air at the Autobot base was palpable. Once Ratchet and the others had walked thru the ground bridge they swiftly headed past the staring Bumblebee, right for the med bay and carefully laid the Prime’s frame on an open berth.

“Arcee, I need you here with me, Bulkhead go lay down, carrying Optimus has broken those fresh welds and you are bleeding energon all over the floor!” Ratchet’s voice was curt, and strained as his nimble digits danced across the broken frame before him.

“Yeah doc, will do. Just, take care of Boss Bot.” With that Bulkhead headed to his berth room limping more severely than before.

“Arcee grab that welder and start on those wounds there, yes, weld tight but don’t be so heavy on the line!”

“I know what I am doing Ratchet!” the femme snapped back, trying to keep her servos still as she worked.

“Bumblebee get in here!” Ratchet called, never stopping the work he was doing.

The scout trudged in, a desperate look in his optics as he looked over the mangled frame of his Prime.

“Sit there, we need to set up a transfusion of energon.” Ratchet swiftly indicated the chair he wanted the yellow bot to sit in, as he grabbed for the supplies for the energon transfusion.

Bumblebee raced over to the seat producing his limb readily, Ratchet smiled slightly at the younger bot’s eagerness to help his leader. **_Oh Optimus, you had better slagging make it through this. You have a family waiting for you here._**

Optics focused, Ratchet slipped a needle into Bumblebee’s limb and inserted the needle at the other end of the tube into Optimus’s.

He watched his screens for a moment then nodded, “Good, good, let me know when your processor starts to glitch Bumblebee. No sense in you losing too much energon as well.”

With the transfusion started and Arcee welding the smaller wounds, Ratchet could finally get to work on the more challenging injuries. He checked his chronometer quickly, realizing how late is was already. **_It is going to be a long night._**

**_……_ **

Breems passed as Arcee and Ratchet worked on Optimus. They had finally gotten control over the energon loss, and the transfusion had helped stabilize the larger mech. Bumblebee had been sent to berth shortly after the transfusion ended, his frame had already had some damage from the multiple days of fighting, and the transfusion just left him weaker.

Ratchet was working around the remains of Optimus’s leg, carefully separating precious cables and wires from melted armour and protoform, when he noticed Arcee swaying slightly across from him.

“Arcee, go and recharge for a few breems, I will wake you if I need you.” Ratchet called to her quietly.

The femme’s optics looked up, glaring at Ratchet angrily. “I am fine Ratchet.”  Ratchet merely gave her an irritated look.

“Your servos are shaking , forcing you to rework welds multiple times that will result in greater scarring, you are low on fuel, and if the Decepticons decided this was the perfect moment  to attack, which it is, you are the only warrior we have that isn’t injured! You will recharge!” by the end of his rant Ratchet was surprise to find himself yelling.

Arcee stared at the other mech, her servo vibrating against the welder so violently that it was creating a melodic buzz around them. Suddenly her optics began to gleam, coolant forming at the edges and Ratchet’s optics softened slightly as he placed his larger servo over her shaking one.

“I, want to be here Ratchet. If, if he is going to… I want to be here.” Arcee choked out as a bead of coolant finally escaped one of her optics.

Ratchet set his faceplates grimly, “Lay down on the third berth Arcee.  I haven’t had a chance to clean the second.” He sighed rubbing his optics in exhaustion. “If there is an emergency I swear to you, I shall wake you.”

Arcee nodded numbly, placing her tools on the tray beside her before making her way to the berth Ratchet had offered.

Before she succumbed to the oblivion of recharge she heard Ratchet whisper, “He shall not die tonight.”

……………………………

Blinding light pulled Optimus from the peaceful darkness he had been floating in. Shuttering open his optics, he immediately realized where he was, the great council room of the Thirteen Primes.

He stood under magnificent arch that stood at the only entrance to the chamber. Glowing white and silver, it sparkled with golden and ancient Cybertronian glyphs their meanings lost long ago. As he moved further into the chamber his sense of wonder grew as he looked up at the chamber’s domed ceiling, there lay stunning paintings of the creation of the Primes, each meticulously detailed and beautiful, Optimus found himself wondering who may have painted them. Finally his optics swept down along the soaring white pillars that carried the dome, down to where the Thirteen, well twelve, sat watching him. Each were upon their respective thrones that were placed spaciously between the pillars so that the Primes circled the room. It allowed each Prime to have an equal view of the chamber and any subjects that were so lucky, or not, to find themselves in the center, and right now, that mech was Optimus.

He continued towards the center of chamber, and knelt, “Honored Primes,” his voice strong, but reverent.

Prima, whom Optimus was facing, peered at the kneeling Prime before him, his expression far darker than Optimus was used to, he also noticed, once the First Prime stood without asking Optimus to rise, something was terribly wrong.

“You have failed us once more brother,” Prima’s voice though controlled, held a darkness that made Optimus’s optics shutter for a moment.

“Ages of war, the destruction of Cybertron, its civilians scattered, and dying, and still you could not kill the warlord Megatron.” Prima’s voice was louder now, echoing around the chamber that seemed shake with his fury. Optimus invented remembering how he himself had said that very thing to Megatron not so long ago.

The First Prime paused, collecting himself. “It is apparent that you are not suited for this task, you have failed our subjects, you have failed our planet, and you have failed as a Prime.”

Optimus’s helm stay lowered through the barrage of Prima’s accusations, his terrible, hurtful, and honest truths. Optimus felt his spark burn within him, as well as the weight of the Matrix that resonated with the Thirteens’ fury.

Prima moved closer, standing right before Optimus. “Stand.”

Optimus pushed himself to his pedes, his racing spark making his processor dizzy.

“As we are aware of your inability to destroy Megatron, we have decided to take the matter into our own servos.” Optimus’s spark jumped, he was terrified, but his optics remained upon the great white Prime before him.

“You were once spark-bonded with him were you not?”

Optimus’s optics widened as he reset his vocalizer. “Not I Honored Prime, but who I was before the receiving the grace of the Matrix, Orion Pax.” His was strained, and his processor whirled. ** _Why is that relevant? What are they planning?_**

“Ah, yes, but he is within you still, deep and hidden, but there nonetheless. We know the power of the Matrix normally allows residual aspects of the Prime’s former self to remain, but never has one clung so tightly to it’s own existence as your Orion Pax.” Prima’s voice grew dark once more. “Obviously there is a reason for a Prime’s former self to dissipate for your Orion has kept you, Optimus, from fulfilling your duty as Prime by allowing the continued existence of the warlord Megatron to remain functioning in this universe. Thus we have decided to help you with this unexpected, and damaging conundrum. Our solution will not just allow you a second chance to prove your Primacy and earn our forgiveness, but rid the universe of Megatron’s evil for good.”

Optimus felt his frame begin to shake, never in all the battles he had faced, or trials he had undertaken had he ever felt fear as strong as this.

Prima placed a servo on Optimus’s trembling shoulder, his optics almost pitying. “We shall help you earn you place among us brother, for we too are to blame for this. We did not foresee this outcome in all of our vast and combined knowledge, thus how could you, but one Prime, deal with it’s consequences alone?”

His spark was a storm within him as Optimus strangled out, “How Honorable Prima?”

The First Prime smiled then and it looked predatory to Optimus. “You shall return to your body as Orion, and call Megatron to you. Use his vast supplies to rebuild your body. He is questioning much at the moment and we know, will comply willingly. We shall use your Orion to get close to Megatron during your reconstruction, for you must keep him near until your frame has recovered. It will be then, with the grace of our glory, we shall personally use our power to extinguish the remnants of Orion thru the Matrix, and you shall emerge, free of Orion’s hold, and cut Megatron down.”

Optimus’s systems faltered, and his spark shrank deep in its chamber, it felt cold.

“You will extinguish Orion?” he whispered through numb lips. **_You will extinguish, me?_** Optimus couldn’t help but think. True, he did not remember much of his time as Orion, but he always, always felt him. Orion was as every bit of him as his own servos, frame, processor, his very Being! To lose that..

“No,” Optimus’s voice rang clearly through the chamber. “No, I will not do it. There is good in Megatron, I believe that with all my spark.  I will not call to him! There will be another way!”

Prima’s smile disappeared and his optics narrowed. “Dear brother, that is merely Orion speaking through you, you shall know the truth of it once that affliction is cleared. You shall do this Optimus, whether it is freely, or through less forgiving means.” Prima looked deep into Optimus’s horrified optics. “Do you still refuse, brother?”

Optimus’s frame shook slightly, but his optics were still, absolute, and raging.  “With all my spark.”

Prima placed his servo upon the trembling mech’s spark chamber with a sneer. “So be it .”

Darkness descended over him.

……………………………………………………….

 

Pain was his first sensation as he slowly became more aware. Wretched, burning pain that pulled the mech from the peaceful darkness he had been floating through. The worse pain was emanating from his spark chamber; it almost felt like his spark was being compressed.

**_Where am I? What happened to me?_ **

Groaning inwardly, the mech forced his aching optics to online and open slightly. Luckily wherever he rested was relatively dark, small lights blinked persistently from humming medical equipment around him, and a soft glow was coming from the desk to his left.

**_I, I know this place, I think._ **

Ignoring the raging fire that seemed to envelop his entire frame, the mech turned his helm towards the desk, his optics falling upon a furiously concentrated orange and white medic.

“Ratchet?” the mech had less than whispered the designation but the other mech’s reaction was immediate,  he instantly dropped whatever he had been working on and nearly tripped over his own pedes as he rushed to the side of the berth.

“Optimus! Primus, what are doing out of recharge!?” The medic turned his optics to one of the many monitors around them searching.

The aching mech frowned slightly his processor glitching as he tried to understand what was going on. “Ratchet, what,” his vocalizer seized abruptly, and he started coughing.

Turning, optics concerned, Ratchet hushed the broken mech. ”You were hit with a missile and..”

The medic was interrupted as a blue femme stumbled up next to him confusion in her optics until she noticed the other optics glowing up at her. “Optimus!”

Much like the medic, the little feme immediately came closer to the berth, her servos gently taking his left.

**_Who?_ **

Resetting his vocalizer the mech spoke again, “Ratchet who is Optimus? A missile? I..” Suddenly the pain in his spark clenched fiercely forcing him to invent violently.

Both bots froze as they watched him struggle. “Opti..err, Orion? What is it?” Ratchet asked quickly, the femme shooting the medic a concerned but knowing look.

“Spark,” gasped the damaged mech. “Crushing.” Suddenly his optics flared brightly in panic, “Megatronus! Ratchet, he… my spark, he .. where?” The mech invented faster now as Ratchet’s faceplates seemed to grey slightly.

Arcee frantically grasped onto the medic’s shoulder. “Ratchet what the frag is going on!”

A roar filled the med bay as the mech’s servo flew to his chest plates violently trying to dig into his own spark chamber. That got Ratchet out of his shock.

“Arcee, hold his chassis down!” Ratchet yelled as he grabbed the Prime’s servo before it ripped out the mech’s own spark.

“We need to put him in stasis!” the femme yelled desperately.

“We can’t, I don’t know exactly what is going on, if we put him under now we could lose him!”

“We will lose him if he crushes his own spark!”

The struggling Prime let out another roar, far louder this time, ripping his left servo from Ratchet’s grasp to grab hold of one of his chest plates and wrenched it from his chassis, spurting energon across the other mechs.

“Optimus!” a shocked booming voice called out as Bulkhead ran into the room, grabbing his Prime’s limb tightly forcing it away from his half opened spark chamber.

“What the frag is going on!?” Bulkhead boomed as Optimus continued the thrash upon the berth.

“I don’t fragging KNOW! Arcee grab the tools for stasis, we don’t have a choice now. Go I will hold his..”

Optimus’s roar pitched higher as his frame suddenly arched high off the berth, his numerous welds breaking open again, sending energon spraying all over the berth and mechs surrounding it.

“Pleeeeeeaaaaase! Make it stooooop!” The Prime’s plea ripped through the med bay wretchedly.

Ratchet threw his arms over Optimus’s frame, pushing it back down, “Arcee!?”

“Here Ratchet, here!” The femme frantically tried to uncap the needled but her servos shook so wildly she couldn’t get ahold. Ratchet seeing her struggle, pulled one arm from Optimus, grabbed the needle, tore the cap off with his denta and shoved it violently in to his Prime’s throat cables.

The broken mech’s roaring became quieter, turning to small whines as his optics began to flicker. He stared at the terrified looking Ratchet for a moment as the world fell away.

Ratchet grasped the poor mechs helm softly, “Orion, Optimus?”

“Megatronus…spark….” with that Optim.. Orion’s optics darkened and his mangled frame relaxed against the berth and fell into stasis.

The three shaken bots looked at each other silently, the only sounds coming from the Prime’s still reeling fans.

“I am calling Megatron.” Ratchet said, his voice ragged and he swiftly left the med bay, his shaking servo wiping energon and coolant from his optics as he did so.


	6. The Bonds that Hold Us

Megatron lay upon one of the many berths within the Nemesis’s med bay deep in the grips of recharge.  His damage had been extensive, and when Knockout had finally finished the numerous welds and repairs on the titan, he fell into the chair near his desk miserable, and contemplative. Megatron had been silent during the entire repair process, silent, for the first time since Knockout had become the Medical Officer for the Nemesis, and it unnerved the red mech deeply.

Part of him wanted to justify that his worry was merely because of the fragging insane night in general. **_Which it was!_** The medic thought to himself, but, another part of him was worried for his leader, not that they had any relationship beyond lord and officer, but Knockout had grown to understand if Megatron was having a good solar-cycle, everymech had a good solar-cycle. That was reason enough to be aware of his leader’s state of being, and what he had seen earlier was so very unlike anything he had ever seen come from Megatron.  He knew the look that had been in Megatron’s optics. He knew that look so well it haunted his every waking moment, and even some when he wasn’t awake.  Knockout shook his tired helm as he crossed his arms on the desk in front of him, his weary helm falling on top of them.

His optics fell to a small crystal that adorned his desk. He normally carried it in his subspace, but after Megatron had fallen into recharge, he found himself in need of seeing it once more.

It was a crystal from Cybertron, it used to be much bigger, but over the ages of battles, and surgeries, all matter of jarring terrible slag that this war brought with it, the crystal had broken bit by bit. Knockout smiled bitterly, the irony not lost on him. Where once it had been brilliant, shimmering, almost iridescent with shades of pink, red, blue, it now sat chipped and rough, it’s color was all but hidden beneath all of the ragged scuffs and scratches making it appear white in color.

Knockout lifted one of his servos from beneath his helm and spun the small crystal lazily with a digit remembering how he had come across the little broken thing.

It had been a gift, from Breakdown, a gift to celebrate him graduating from med school and mark the beginning of their life together from there on out.  Knockout smiled sadly as he remembered the bigger mech’s shaking servos as he presented the stunning crystal to him, a nervous smile on his faceplates. Though Breakdown had always been a tough bot, a fighter that would never deny a chance to prove himself superior, when it had come to Knockout, he was a great big pushover.  When he had brought the crystal to the newly appointed medic, he had even kneeled, right there in front to the medical building, in front of everyone! Knockout could only imagine how odd the two had looked that day, that wonderfully amazing day where it seemed they had lifetimes ahead of them. Him, an up and coming medic, in Iacon no less, and Breakdown was to become an enforcer of the law. They had had such dreams.

Knockout’s small smile faded as he recalled the day the bombings started. He had known there was trouble brewing in the lower castes. He saw it on all the teleprompters and holovids, yet in his blissful life with Breakdown it seemed so far away, he had never been so wrong. The day Breakdown announced he was going to join the Decepticons would always burn in his processor. Being an enforcer, Breakdown got to see more of the corruption than his mate, he’d begun to read the writings of the great Megatronus, following his every word like it was the words of Primus. Knockout had tried, desperately to dissuade him but to no avail, thus, when Breakdown joined Knockout followed.

Knockout stopped spinning the tiny, ruined crystal and picked it up between his digits placing it back into the subspace of his right arm before curling his arms upon the desk once more placing his helm upon them gently. He blearily glanced back at the recharging warlord, his optics crackling as coolant formed within them. He knew the look that Megatron’s optics had held because he saw it in his optics every solar-cycle, it was look of a mech that had lost something so dear to them that they became a shell, an empty shadow that ,in some ways, longed for it all just to end so, so it didn’t have to hurt anymore...  **_Oh Breakdown, why did you leave me alone here, I hate you for that!  I hate you!_**

Knockout’s vents hitched as he cradled his helm “I love you,” he whispered, and quietly let himself break to pieces.

…………………………………………………..

Apparently he had cried himself into recharge because when the screaming started it took him almost 5 kliks to get his processor restarted. Blinking wildly Knockout turned to his only patient terrified. Megatron was arched above the berth, screaming as if he was melting alive, his servos ripping into his chassis clawing at his own spark madly, energon was flowing free from the wounds.

Knockout jumped up to his pedes and immediately commed Soundwave.

**:Soundwave get here now, something is happening to Megatron and I have not fragging idea what!:**

**:Affirmative:**

Knockout tried to push the giant mech down but he hardly budged. “Lord Megatron, Megatron can you hear me!?”  Knockout called feeling foolish, but he wasn’t sure if the great mech was even awake.

“Knockouuuut.., spark!” yelled Megatron as another bout, of whatever was ailing the warlord raced over him, his roar vibrating the equipment around him.

Knockout struggled to hold Megatron’s servos from his chest plates only to find himself thrown, hitting another berth hard, static filled his optics for a moment. Suddenly, and praise Primus, Soundwave appeared, his black tendrils wrapping strongly around his master’s wrists, and with incredible strength pulled them away from his chest.

Knockout recovered from his fall and moved back to the berth grimacing slightly at the deep claw marks that lined the plates there, before looking at Megatron’s helm. “I need to open your spark chamber Lord Megatron!” He only received another roar in response. **_Alllllright. Please don’t kill me for this._**

Grabbing one of his tools from his supply drawer Knockout dug it deep between the plates and pried the heavy armor open. Megatron’s spark blazed before the two mechs. Knockout shuttered his optics a bit, peering deeply into the chamber not even sure what he should be looking for until, he found it! It was dim, obviously transmitting it’s owner’s pain to the warlord, but there nonetheless. Fraggin Megatron, Lord and Master of the Decepticons was Spark Bonded! It had to have been recently too, because Knockout had seen his leader’s spark far more times than he had every wanted over the course of this cursed war, and it had never shown before.

Suddenly Megatron’s yelling ceased and he slumped back down on the berth, his fans whirling and vents frantically trying to keep up with them. The silver mech’s optics were open, but exhausted and confused.

“Analysis?” Soundwave asked gently placing Megatron’s servos beside him.

It was Megatron who answered, his helm suddenly turning to his third in command, panic, and disbelief in his optics. He forced himself to sit up, carefully closing his chest plates as he did so. “Orion, Soundwave. He, I felt his pain. His, it has been so long since,” Megatron was interrupted as Soundwave rose a servo quickly, his helm tilting slightly as he listened intently to something unseen.

“Understood.”  Was all the spy bot said before he turned back to Megatron. “Autobot designation Ratchet requests audience with Lord Megatron.”

Megatron’s helm dipped slightly, his red optics narrowed contemplating before pushing himself up and gingerly made his way to the command deck, energon still dribbling from his chest plates. Before he left the med bay he turned him slightly to the medic. “Knockout take some vehicons and start organizing the spare parts below, I need them to be categorized according to size and class. Choose one of the more capable vehicons to oversee the process and then get some recharge. We will need your services soon I think.” With that he turned on his pedes and continued towards the front of the ship, Soundwave following right behind him.

Knockout merely stared his processor reeling. Megatron spark bonded, recently, to a mech that very well seemed to have been tortured given the amount of pain Megatron had felt through the bond. Normally only about a third of a mate’s pain could carry over.  **_Whoever was on the other end of that slag show,_** Knockout shivered slightly not wanting to even imagine what that could mean. He exited the med bay towards the vehicon’s halls. Whatever was going on, he couldn’t help but feel change in the air, and whether it was good, or bad, time could only tell.

………………………………………………..

Megatron invented slightly before activating the screen before him to see the Autobot Ratchet’s frazzled helm appear.

“Medic,” Megatron asked darkly, though his spark was wild inside him, processor spiraling, he appeared calm and composed in front of the other mech. Maybe far too calm, because Ratchet’s faceplates immediately looked as if contacting the warlord was a mistake. That was until the medic’s optics noticed the claw marks carved into Megatron’s chassis, and his optical ridge fell, optics becoming darker, with a defeated and concerned haze over them.

“So, it is as I feared,” the orange and white medic mumbled, almost to himself.

Megatron growled at the screen in front of him, “Speak up medic. What is happening over there? Why are you contacting me? What do you know of this? What is happening to me?” His voice sounded angry, uncaring for more than his own spark but he found his servos shaking slightly. He carefully moved them behind his back plates.

His callous demeanor and words seemed to bring the medic back from his dark thoughts as his optics blazed across the screen, fury within them. “What is happening to you! You selfish slagging pit spawn! Optimus is gone, Orion has completely taken over, and to make it worse something is seemingly trying to crush his spark from the inside, NEVERMIND that half of his frame is still rotting, lost along the deserts of Nevada!” Ratchet’s voice glitched, and coolant formed is his raging optics as he made to shut down the transmission. “This was a mistake to contact you, you are just a slagging monster, a no good..!”

“I apologize Ratchet, please, don’t go!” Megatron’s entire façade melted away the moment the medic had threatened to end the call. His shaking servos thrust out before him as if he could physically hold the mech to him keep there, his optics swirling with the storm he felt inside. “Please, I apologize, just, what is happening?”

Ratchet paused, his entire frame still shaking, but the change in the mech in front of him, made him pause. Warily the medic moved back to the screen, his prior rage deflating, leaving that frazzled mech that Megatron had first seen.

“I, I don’t really know. Optimus seems to be gone, yet the matrix still lives inside his frame. Orion came through stronger than he had after Unicron, I , Megatron it Was Orion. He looked at me, and it was as if Optimus had never existed.” Ratchet rubbed his optics exhausted. “And then whatever happened to his spark, his screams Megatron, they were purely Orion. Primus, they reminded me of the night terrors Orion used to have, just so, so much worse.” Megatron felt his claws curl to fists as he recalled those screams in his processor’s optic.

Coolant continued to form in the medic’s optics but never fell, as he found himself amazed at how easily he was speaking to the warlord, reminiscent to before the war. Before all the death, before the fall of Cybertron, when they were a handful of younger bots, trying to help those less fortunate around them, no matter where they came from.

Megatron was at a loss as well, what was happening, why the change? “What do you we do about this Ratchet? What are we talking about? Your Prime, no, Orion is obviously in need of both of our help, but to do so would mean..”

“A truce,” interrupted Ratchet. His optics grew hard, uncertain. “A complete ceasefire, as both fraction’s leaders are at risk within this, situation. You felt what happened within Orion, obviously powerfully,  the evidence is clawed all over your chest plates. If Orion was to offline, you, having such a connection to him could very well lose your spark as well.”

Megatron nodded contemplating, a servo gently rubbing his aching chassis.  “I agree Ratchet, we shall honor the ceasefire, and truce, but first, I have mechs working on gathering parts for Orion’s frame. If you wish to be part of that process you are welcome to come upon the Nemesis to help. I assure that you will not be harmed.”

Ratchet’s faceplates flashed uncertainty for just a moment before nodding, it wasn’t like he had much of a choice, and he certainly didn’t want any decepticon picking out what Opt..Orion’s reformatted frame would look like.

“I will. I know Opti… err ,I know the frame well enough and have the specific specs available. I would like to give you my personal expertise for a moment though Megatron,” The medic rubbed his optics once more, his exhaustion tangible through the screen. “Orion has been through a lot today, his frame is shattered and his spark weak, it would benefit both of you greatly if, if you came to our base and stayed with him through most of this. Your spark bond is thousands of vorns old, but given the circumstances  and, how it has behaved thus far, it is as if one of you has come back from the All Spark, and that is an unknown shock to any spark. Your sparks could be damaged just from being apart, nevermind the obvious shock and trauma Orion has been through. So, yes, would you come to the Autobot base, honestly, as soon as possible?” At the end of his speech Ratchet just looked lost, tired, and desperate.

Megatron considered for a moment, his helm turning towards Soundwave who nodded slightly to his lord.

“Very well medic, send me the coordinates of where I shall find your groundbridge. I shall leave now.”

The orange and white mech nodded grimly, taking a moment to send the information before he looked up at the warlord one last time. “Thank you Megatron,” his voice crackled with emotion. “Oh, and leave your cannon there.” Then, the screen turned black.

Megatron rolled his optics slightly, as he removed the large weapon, yet within him excitement buzzed like it hadn’t since long before this war. If what Ratchet said was true he was going to see Orion, the true, untainted Orion once more. Even after Unicron, the Orion he had seen had had some shadow of Optimus behind his optics, but now it was just Orion, and yet, as he moved towards his own ground bridge to arrive at the destination for the Autobot’s,  Megatron found himself suddenly recalling what had led them all to his moment in the first place.  Optimus had lain there broken, lost, as he confessed to loving him, that he had always loved him. The warlord frowned thoughtfully, his already frantic spark spun faster thinking, perhaps having a little of Optimus in his Orion really wasn’t that bad after all…


	7. First Steps.

“Are you out of your fragging mind Ratchet? Bringing that monster here!?” Arcee stood in front of the ground bridge controls, her arms crossed in front of her, optics fuming.

“Arcee, I have told you why we need him. I cannot rebuild Opti... Orion’s frame without his parts, and we need him to help stabilize the spark. I have been exceedingly patient in your ignorance but that is waning, Quickly!” Ratchet stood in front of her, his frame shaking slightly. Bulkhead and Bumblebee stood near the med bay’s doors watching the two with wide optics, neither wanting to step between the two livid bots.

“What is to keep him from killing us all, taking Optimus and disappearing? You said yourself I am the only one here that isn’t injured, he could annihilate us in a klik!”

Growling Ratchet rubbed his optics, “I am well aware of the injuries within our team Arcee, as I am the medic here! We have to honor the truce, at least try, Optimus would want that.”

“Optimus isn’t here Ratchet! Some THING is in his frame demanding that our worst enemy, the mech that destroyed out PLANET, and started this WAR be allowed aboard! How Ratchet, how the FRAG does this seem like a good idea!?”

“It isn’t Arcee! I know the risks involved, and Orion is not some Thing! He is a mech, the mech Optimus came from! He is every bit as honorable, and decent as Optimus, you would see that if you just give him a chance to fragging wake up and defend himself. He wouldn’t call Megatron here with evil intent. Get to know that Thing before you judge!”

“I don’t want to get to know him! I want Optimus back! Without having to grovel to that monster who is the cause of all of this in..”

“WE DON’T HAVE A CHOICE!” Ratchet’s roar ripped through the Autobot base, and for a moment after everymech was silent. His fans whirling Ratchet invented deeply, “We don’t have a choice Arcee. What do you want me to do? What can I do? Optimus is gone, Orion is here, we have a crippled mech, no parts, our team has one warrior that isn’t leaking energon. Do you have a plan? Do you have some miraculous fragging plan that you haven’t shared with us? If you do now is the time to share it OTHERWISE shut up, and let me do what I have to.” His vents were heavy by then, his optics hard, angry and tired. “Do you Arcee?”

The femme glared at him a moment before inventing deeply in defeat, “No, I just, I can’t believe we are at this point Ratchet. Are we really going to allow Megatron to stay with him? Especially in his condition?” Her optics looked into his, broken, and terrified.

Ratchet’s shoulders fell as he nodded his helm, “We don’t have a choice.” Arcee nodded in return finally moving from the controls.

As the medic moved towards them he looked over his shoulder, “Keep your weapons sheathed and hidden but, ready.” The Autobots nodded grimly as Ratchet pulled the levers to the bridge and it flared to life before them.

At first nothing came from it, it remained blazing green, and slightly crackling, Ratchet began to fear they had taken too long and Megatron had decided not to wait. Panic flared in his spark as he started to turn towards Arcee ready to explode when he heard it, the familiar boom of familiar heavy pedes coming forward. Step by step the noise increased until, at last Megatron’s towering frame stepped into the Autobot base.

No mech moved each staring at the surreal sight of Megatron standing in their Earth home, them totally exposed before the titan. The tension was tangible, thick, and tight until Megatron, who merely looked bored, and slightly irritated spoke, “Well medic, I am here. Have you not already wasted enough time opening your slagging ground bridge? Where is Orion?”

Ratchet shook his helm and closed the bridge behind the silver mech, unnerved at how much larger he seemed when within their base. **_At least he left the cannon._**

 “This way Megatron,” Ratchet motioned to the med bay noticing something flicker behind the warlord’s optics. **_Was that apprehension I saw?_**

Megatron merely nodded his helm, sparing not a glance to the other burning optics that glared from the rest of the Autobots as he strode proudly to the doors, Ratchet following closely after.

As the doors open automatically Megatron scoffed inwardly at the severe lack of equipment, berths, and supplies in general, that made up the Autobot’s clinic. **_This will have to be remedied if they are to proficiently fix Orion._** He thought to himself, bringing his optics to the broken mech on one of the few berths in the tiny room.

The hard, proud look he had held all the way there dissipated immediately, concern, grief, and anxiety replacing them. He slowly, almost as if in awe, moved towards the side of the berth that held Orion’s frame. The damage made his fans hitch slightly, yes he had seen it when they had been in the desert, but there had been so much going through his processor, and the desperate search for a spark had distracted him from truly understanding the level of damage. **_Blasted Starscream, if he were not already offline I would rip out his spark right before his very optics!_**

“We have done all we could so far. Stopped most of his energon from leaking out, his chest plate, that happened recently, I haven’t had time yet to repair it properly, just a light weld.” Ratchet looked up at Megatron’s own chassis, “Looks like you could use some welds yourself.”

Megatron waved a servo at the medic dismissively, his optics locked onto the Prim..no Orion’s chest plates. The glass was shattered on the left side, the metal bent at a horrid angle. “Did he rip it from his frame?” Megatron asked quietly, his servo once again rubbing along his own plates. He remembered how terrible the pain in his own spark had been, he could only imagine what kind of anguish Orion had been in on this side of the bond.

“Yes, we tried to stop him, but he was, manic. So desperate to get rid of the pain, he lost all self-control. I had to put him in stasis yet,” Ratchet looked up at Megatron, a small smile on his faceplates, “If you are standing I at least know he still functions, and his spark isn’t in agony.”

Megatron’s optical ridge lowered almost sarcastically at the medic, “Using me for a visual aid?”

“If it works,” Ratchet moved to Orion’s side and started to get his tools in order to continue his welding of the chest plates.

Megatron moved to the other side peering down at the broken frame thoughtfully. Once, long ago, he had been in a very similar situation, staring desperately at Orion’s mangled frame, at a loss of how to help, what he could do. That had been a very dark day.  At least this time, he was helping by just being near, and he could feel the proof of that in his own spark.

It seemed every step closer to this mech, brought a strength to him that he hadn’t felt in so long, as if all these years he had only had half of his spark. It had not felt like this since before Orion had been changed by that wicked abomination still residing in his spark chamber.

“So medic, Ratchet, what else can I do for Orion beyond staring at him?” Megatron lifted his helm to the medic, watching him skillfully work on the frame between them.

Without looking up Ratchet grunted, ”Well, just being in proximity to him should help stabilize his spark, it will save it, and him from wasting energy looking for it’s mate.” Ratchet reset his vocalizer before continuing, “Also, a spark merge would be the most assured way to save his spark from collapsing.” His voice sounded hesitant, stretched, and slightly desperate.

Megatron stared at the medic who continued to avoid his optics, keeping very busy with finding more things to weld, not that that was exceptionally hard to find.

“I see, and that won’t over tax his systems?”

“Huh, oh, no quite the opposite, it would be akin to restarting them, as well as giving him some of your spark’s strength. Though, the emotional journey shall be one to be reckoned with I imagine, especially for Orion, as he doesn’t know who you have become.” Ratchet stood then, his optics staring at the warlord,  suddenly severe. “I must warn you though Megatron, this entire situation is, is like nothing I have ever encountered, or researched. If you were to spark bond with Orion again, you may find Optimus there and inadvertently be bonding to Optimus as well.”

Megatron narrowed his optics, “You said Optimus was gone medic.” Though he made sure to sound disapproving, Megatron felt his spark jump at that.  He wondered who this mech might be if the two halves were ever to come together. A mixture of the innocent, hopeful, librarian, and the strong, stoic, solider/ leader he had become. Could that ever happen? How would it change each of them, for though they may seem completely separate, they are part of the other, Megatron was certain of that.

“He seems to be Megatron, but, I have no absolute proof of it. He could be hidden, as Orion has been, only deeper, either way, they are the same spark. No matter what you would like to believe.”  The last part of Ratchet’s words held a bitter tone.

Megatron glared at the medic but only hummed slightly. Ratchet rolled his optics as he shook his helm. “You may very well be saving them both Megatron, OR making it so that Optimus can come to the forefront once again. Are you ready, and willing to possibly only save Optimus in the end?” His words were quiet but their meaning heavy. Megatron had to admit, he had not considered the possibility of Optimus returning to his normal state, forcing Orion back into whatever cage the Matrix had held him in for so long.

“I,” Megatron looked back down at the blue helm below him. So similar to the mech he had given his spark to all those years ago, and yet different. Scarred and dented, it looked older, and even in recharge so very tired, just as Optimus had the night of their battle, when he had confessed his inability to destroy him, and his love. What if it was only Optimus in the end? Would they resume their war, battling until their race dwindled to nothing? The victor stuck on this Pit forsaken dirt mound alone for eternity, desperately clawing at it to find just enough energon to survive another solar-cycle for no other reason than to just exist.

Megatron shuttered at the thought of that reality, it was no better than when he had been a slave in Kaon. At least then he had something to fight for and some mech. If this war continued, he would have none of that, there would be nothing to live for. **_How long have I, too, been this tired, and yet had no reason to stop. Without Optimus functioning, who am I?_**

His thoughts surprised even him for it was true, if there was no Optimus, who was he? He didn’t rule this planet and honestly, never wanted to, it was filthy, covered in wretched lifeforms, and not Cyberton. Even if he found a way to rebuild Cyberton, what then? Take the handful of battle worn mechs he had there and, what, what then? Be a ruler of a tattered civilization, alone, for no mech had ever even come close to making him feel more alive than the one before him, whether it be through Orion or Optimus.

Another reality snuck through his processor without him realizing it, one that had Optimus/Orion by his side watching their planet come to life once again, working together to save the Well of Sparks so that life could bloom once more. He laughed quietly at that as it was very reminiscent of a dream he had held long ago.

He didn’t know when his servo had started to caress the helm below him but realized he didn’t mind it, it is what he once did with Orion, if was familiar, comforting and terribly missed.

“I am tired Ratchet,” Megatron started, keeping his optics on the bot beneath him. “I am tired of this fragging war. I am tired of the deaths, I am tired of the fighting, I am, I am tired of being alone. If there is a chance to save Orion, I shall take it, even if,” He stopped for a moment inventing, “Even if it is only Optimus at the end. Somehow, I do not think I have ever stopped loving him either.” His voice was near silent, worn.

Ratchet watched the warlord across him and couldn’t help but see Megatronus there. The determined, lost, tragically fated mech who had tried to take on responsibilities far greater than himself, fighting a battle that should have never been his to fight, and who had become terribly twisted because of it.  In fact, Ratchet mused, this entire scene rang with memories and irony.

 These star-crossed lovers, once young, emboldened by justice, hope, love, and perhaps foolishness, their story had ripped a world asunder, and echoed throughout galaxies. Now they were just two broken, old soldiers, terribly worn, alone, and trying, once more, to find within them the love that had shattered the universe.

Ratchet placed his servo atop Megatron’s shoulder, drawing the silver mech’s optics to his. “I believe you Megatron, after all hate is not the opposite of love, no, that is apathy. Though twisted as hate is, it means you have cared for him this whole time. I cannot forget what you have done through this war, what you have done to my team and Optimus, how much pain you have caused to so many, and we have done our share as well, but perhaps, given time, I can learn to forgive you.” Megatron’s optics narrowed in thought, considering the medic’s words, before he merely hummed and turned back to Orion.

Ratchet took his servo back and started placing his tools away, he had truly done as much as he could for now. Tomorrow he would board the Nemesis and begin the search for the Prime’s new parts, until then, he needed to recharge desperately.  Inventing deeply, he moved to his desk, set on organizing and cleaning his tools.

The medic turned his helm towards the two mechs wondering how he should handle this very delicate situation. Should he stay in the med bay, staring at the titan all night, or, go to his berth and extend a servo of trust? Opti..Orion’s only hope lay with that mech as it was, if he truly wanted to hurt Orion, Megatron could have merely ignored his call for help.

 ** _Oh, Arcee is going to kill me._** Rolling his optics and mentally preparing for the verbal assault from the small femme, Ratchet straightened and made for the door noting Megatron’s surprised optics following him. “My berthroom is the second on the right outside of the main command room, if you need me, or comm me, I left the code on the desk. I would use the third berth here to recharge, the second isn’t clean.” The orange and white mech turned his helm, optics calm, trusting, albeit nervous. “Good night Megatron, take care of him. He needs you more than ever right now,” his helm dropped slightly, optics looking at the floor beneath his pedes. “We all do,” and with that the medic hit the doors code panel,  opening the door, and left.

Megatron’s wide optics stared as the door closed, stunned. **_He left me here, alone with his Prime!_** Oddly enough Megatron suddenly felt guilty, he knew he didn’t deserve this trust, so why..?

“Megatronus?” Orion’s quiet inquiry broke through his thoughts and he immediately spun his helm to behold two beautiful, blue optics looking at him tiredly.

“Orion?” Megatron’s vocalizer hitched and sparked. It was him, his Orion looking at him. Ratchet had seen it too. There was no battle worn Optimus there, no haunted dim of an old solider, just the blazing, innocent, hopeful, loving optics of a former young archivist that had haunted his thoughts for eons. Never had Megatron thought he would see them so clearly, again. “Orion,” Megatron moaned desperately, his spark on fire once more, as he slid his servos carefully under the smaller bot’s broken frame and held it gently to his shaking chassis. “Orion, Orion, I am so sorry, I am so sorry!” His vents hitched more as he rocked the broken frame in his arms his optics bleeding coolant freely as the ages of war, the deaths, the desperation, the loneliness all came crashing forward and Megatron broke before it.

Orion lifted his one arm, his servo wiping the tears from Megatron’s faceplates. “Shh, shh, Megatronus, I am here. You are safe now.”

Megatron pulled his helm back slowly, optics full and gleaming, how many times had they said that to one another in the beginning of it all? It had become a code for them, reassuring one or the other that they didn’t need to be the strong one; that they could fall apart for the other would keep them safe, and hold them through any darkness or pain that may come their way.

“Orion, I love you, I love you with all of my Spark,” he sobbed, a trembling servo grasping at his frantic processor. **_It is too much, too much, I can’t oh Primus. Please, please don’t let this end, please don’t leave me again! I am not strong enough. Plea.._**

Suddenly he felt a blessed heat against his dermas as Orion had tilted his helm up and kissed him. The world stopped in that moment, his thoughts quieted, and all that existed was the calming, beautiful warmth of Orion. It pressed against his frame, burned against his lips, and sang within his once broken spark.

Venting deeply, Megatron felt Orion pull back gently, and he tilted his helm down staring deeply into the others glittering optics as Orion smiled, “You have my spark, always Megatronus, now, then, always.”

With that Megatron beamed, as he carefully lifted his frame onto the berth, curling around Orion’s broken one and they fell into recharge together, their sparks at peace for the first time in eons.

As Megatron fell into blissful recharge he found himself thinking, **_Perhaps, things shall finally be alright now…_**

…………………………………………………….

Somewhere deep, dark, and hidden Optimus raged within his cage and shackles, his mouth covered so that he could not call out, not to Orion, not to Megatron. All he could do was watch as the ancient Prime’s plans played out before him, his thoughts desperate and terrified, **_Run Megatron, please,please… run!_**


	8. Deals and Desperation

Optimus Prime knelt within his cage silently. His servos chained in front of him, pedes chained together below, and a terrible mask now adorned his helm, a part of it jutted between his derma and  wrapped around his glossa tightly, essentially gagging him into silence. He could stand if need be, but after his initial thrashing, and realization of how sturdy both his chains, and the glowing cage around him were, he had eventually slumped down, dejectedly.  He had been here since he had refused the ancient Prime’s request, waking on the floor of this prison after everything had become dark. How long ago that had been, he didn’t truly know.

Though he wasn’t truly corporal, he did feel the pain from his physical frame, that Orion now occupied, in his spark. He felt his, and Orion’s spark jump at Megatron being there, Megatron’s strength seeping into their own. **_Helping to heal his own destruction,_** Optimus mused bitterly.

Megatron was not innocent, he knew that, he had seen the chaos the warlord brought upon worlds, mechs, men, other species, and yet, he could not help but wonder, what helped twist that once innocent mech to such extremes? Was it truly just the Matrix choosing his Orion?

In a way, Optimus could believe it, but was that other’s speaking through him, Ratchet, Arcee, Ironhide…

He had always thought they were right, Megatron was twisted beyond repair, and yet, why, why could he never kill the mech? After all he had done to their civilization, their populace, his team, Bumblebee’s inability to speak alone was proof of Megatron’s wrath. Yet still, he couldn’t kill him!

Optimus brought his chained servos to his optics, pressing the heels of his palms into them resting his digits upon the top of his helm.  **_Perhaps I am just a failed Prime, I have failed so many._**

Was it truly just Orion’s influence that stayed his servo, time and again, from making that final blow? If so, why? Was Orion so selfish that he would sacrifice so many to save his love? **_Am I?_**

“Lost in nightmares, brother?” A steely, cold voice cut through his thoughts and Optimus looked up to see the tall, dark visage of Megatronus Prime, the Fallen, sneering his fanged smile before him.

Though a Prime, Megatronus had earned his title of the Fallen, his affiliation to Unicron, and his murder of Solus Prime had been written in the histories of the Primes through many texts. Though Solus had been reborn once more, the result of her murder had caused a great war between the Primes and the Fallen had been cast out, yet, by the will of Primus, after the eons, he was allowed to come back within the chamber of the Primes, much to the disdain of his brethren.

Optimus dropped his servos, merely glaring at his ‘brother’ and remained kneeling. After all that had happened, he had refused to stand for any of the Primes. Beyond one dragging him up by his neck, they would not receive his respect as they did before.

“I know that look little Prime. Your optics hold so much anger within them, rage.” Megatronus Prime walked closer, slowly circling the cage.

“You have disappointed our older brother deeply. I have only seen him this way once before, and I do believe that was my doing. I must say Optimus, you should be proud of yourself for eliciting such emotions from the Prime closest to the embodiment of Primus, that takes some doing.”

The Fallen stopped in front of the cage peering down at Optimus’s blue optics. “Do you love this mech, who adopted my designation, so much? This Megatron of Kaon?  Do you even know who he is? Who he was? Who You are?”

Optimus turned his helm, his optics falling to his chained servos.

“I believe Prima is handling this foolishly. He is attempting to fix an emotional issue with a logical solution. He believes it is only Orion that is to blame,” the larger Prime bent down slightly, his helm close to Optimus’s, his derma sneering once more,” but that isn’t true, is it brother?”

Optimus glared at the Fallen Prime, but, what he said was true, he knew it, he had known it, for how long, he wasn’t certain, but he loved Megatron, perhaps not quite like Orion, but in his own way.

“Indeed,” Megatronus straightened, “Thus his plan shall fail, because he is a fool, and cannot see the proof of that right in front of him.”

The Fallen paused for a moment, thinking, “ He has become less of a Prime over the eons, little by little becoming less emotional, less attached to the lifeforms he was/is supposed to protect and lead. Your imprisonment is proof of that. He looks only to logic now. Many of the Primes, in fact, have begun to follow suit. So long have they been away from their creations, their charges, that they are almost more like machines at this point, even Solus.” Megatronus seemed to quiet at that, his helm turned slightly, optics searching.

“So, to the point of my visit Optimus Prime, I have come to give you a gift, or gifts.” Optimus stared at the Fallen before him, his optics narrowing as the cold feeling began to seep into his spark.

“One, that of course, shall be repaid in due time, for you must realize, I am going against most of my fellow Primes by bestowing these gifts to you, I doubt they will pleased.  I believe they need a reminder of just what it is to be a Prime. Ha, you looked shocked brother. Me, The Fallen suggesting he knows more of what it is to be a Prime than dear Prima. Well little Prime, that is the way of things now, ironic no?”

Megatronus bent once more slipping his servo between the bars and grasping the terrible mask Optimus had been fitted with, tilting the younger Prime’s helm up painfully to face him. “My first gift, you and Orion shall become one, as you should be, it is only memories that truly separate you both, you are of one spark, are you not?  I must admit, even I am interested in seeing what will be the outcome of you both, fighter, librarian, enforcer, or revolutionary? My second gift, your body shall be healed. My brethren have had it within them to do so since the beginning, it just has, complications, and I have no time to wait for your medic to painstakingly build you bit by bit.”

Megatronus tilted Optimus’s helm sideways slightly looking at the mask he held, one digit caressing it lazily. “I do this all for my own reasons, perhaps in time, you shall see why clearly. Perhaps not. I am counting on you repaying me in kind, when I call upon it. I will not allow you to forget, trust me. Now, as I have talked enough I would like your answer. Will you take my offer, and perhaps save your love, and your species? Or, would you rather rot in this cage, awaiting the moment where you become naught but a puppet of the Matrix, and our fellow Primes?”

Optimus stared at Megatronus, optics wide and spark whirling. To make a deal with the Fallen, and be indebted to him, with no clue as to how he would need to pay back that debt. **_I am not that desperate, am I?_** Even as he thought that, he could feel the weight of the chains around him, the wretched pain of the mask that had been forced into his mouth, and the true desperation in his spark.

If he chose not to, he would indeed sit here awaiting the day that Orion was extinguished, and Megatron murdered by his own servos. Once Orion was destroyed, who would he be? Merely a shell? Perhaps a combination of all the Primes that came before him? Not the Thirteen, but those that had ruled on Cybertron. He knew for a fact that not all of the past Primes were honorable; he could feel their wrath and rage at times coming thru the Matrix. Would they be the ones to break through?

If he did take the deal, who would he become once he and Orion became one? Would they finally have peace aligning together with Megatron and trying to rebuild their lost home, or would Orion’s ignorance rule over Optimus’s knowledge, giving Megatron a chance to manipulate him into destroying the Autobots and joining him? Would Megatron even want to be with them? Would the other ancient Primes retaliate once he escaped their prison, take out their fury on his family of bots? Could he risk that?

 Optimus’s processor reeled. Nothing was definite. There were too many questions, too many outcomes. Nothing was certain but, the chains around his frame.

Optimus looked into the Fallen’s blazing optics, terror and uncertainty racing in his spark.

Stay and become a puppet for any of the Prime’s wishes, leave,  defying the ancient Primes, but have one last chance for peace, the right way, at the cost of an unknown favor.

**_Primus, help me._ **

Megatronus watched him, and the war in his optics with a sneer. “I am not so patient brother, and you will never find any answers until you choose a path, so I ask one more time,” his clawed servo gripped the mask tighter, pulling Optimus’s helm closer painfully, “What. Is. Your. Answer?”

Optimus, optics blazing in terror, spark on fire with desperation, nodded, and the Fallen’s wicked, fanged smile filled his vision.

“Magnificent.”

**_Primus, forgive me, just what have I done?_ **


	9. Fine Print.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EEEEEEEP! This chapter. Oh I hope I did it justice comparably to what I saw in my mind, and for all of you guys! Also, thank you everyone for kudos, and commenting, it helps me push myself forward with this continually, life blood, haha. Yet truly, especially those there all along the way, you know who you are ;) You guys are awesome!

Thunder crackled nearby.

 ** _Thunder…?_**  Megatron hazily thought, as a chill fell upon him.

**_Something is here!_ **

 Megatron’s optics blazed open, rising from the berth in an instant just to feel a large, clawed servo grab him by his neck cables, and throw him through the med bay doors with a resounding crash.

His back plates splintered from the impact and he slid across the Autobot’s floor, venting hard. Ratchet was the first to run out of his berth room “What the FRAG is…? Megatron!? What?”

“Orion!,” Megatron roared, venting hard as he struggled to pick himself up, energon washing down his back freely.

Ratchet turned to the enormous hole where the med bay doors had been and froze, his spark growing cold from what stood before him.

A colossal black and red mech stood towering over Orion’s berth grinning maniacally. Poor Orion was trying desperately to pull himself off of the berth with his one arm as the evil looking mech reached his clawed servo down, and grabbed the terrified mech’s chassis.  The black mech’s claws crumbled the metal beneath them as he picked up the mangled screaming frame in one servo.

“Orion!”  Megatron roared once more, having pulled himself up, he sprinted to the med bay, just to slam into an invisible field of some kind and fell back, optics wild and confused.

The colossal mech turned it’s helm towards the gathered bots and smiled wickedly, his denta sharp and terrifying , “You shall not interfere.” Ratchet felt his spark freeze at the sound, it was as if this bot’s entire being emanated malevolence.

“The Fallen,” Megatron growled raggedly.

“Primus, no!” Ratchet whispered as he placed his servos against the shield before him.

The Fallen turned once more to the mech he held. “Awaken brother, and witness your gift’s execution.”

Light enveloped the broken mech suddenly, it was dark and crimson as it lifted the frame from the Fallen’s servo leaving it levitating in front  the great mech in all it’s horrid glory.

Megatron stared helplessly as Orion’s cries ceased as the broken mech’s optics suddenly hardened, terror still trembling at their edges, but now with the control of a seasoned warrior. It was clear Optimus now inhabited the floating frame before them.

“Megatronus No, I …!” Optimus cried out, trying to throw his servo before him, yet his limbs were frozen within the cryptic light that surrounded him.

The larger mech merely laughed, “You made your choice brother, there shall be no repudiation.” The red and black mech regarded the smaller frame a moment before placing a servo on a piece of crippled plating and ripping it off, throwing it behind him dismissively. Optimus screamed in pain as the Fallen continued, finding another piece and tore it from his frame as well, and another, another.

Megatron roared, his spark feeling Orion’s agony through their bond, apparently he wasn’t as far back as he seemed. He slammed into the shield wildly his fists slamming into it over, and over. **_He is ripping Orion…Optimus, apart!_**

 The rest of the Autobots had finally woken, and rushed out to the command room, gaping at the scene before them as they unsheathed their weapons and circled the med bay.

“Who the frag is that!?” Arcee started running forward just to hit the translucent wall as well. “No! Optimus!”

“Ratchet think we can blast through this fragging thing?” Bulkhead asked frantically.

“I, I..” Ratchet was frozen as he watched the Fallen and Optimus.

“RATCHET!?”

“Blow the fragging thing apart! Just don’t hit Orion!” Megatron yelled.

Arcee hesitated just a moment, and nodded, “Everyone aim for the shield closest the floor and fire!”

The base erupted in a blaze of firepower as all three bots opened fire, desperately trying to break through the shield.

Megatron watched as the shield stayed fast, his spark on fire, and breaking at the same time.

“Cease fire! It isn’t working!” Arcee yelled, her voice broken, frantic.

**_All we can do is watch!?_ **

“Look, Optimus’s arm!” Ratchet called, and as Megatron looked up he realized Orion’s missing limb had begun to regrow itself! Cables and wires slithered out from his shoulder plating, coiling together forming the basic form of the severed limb and servo. Red plates had also begun to regrow upon the limb, and across his frame, replacing those the Fallen had torn off.  His missing leg followed suit, slowly growing from his frame, the developing plates gleaming and new.  Optimus screamed as the process continued, his helm thrown back optics shuttered tight until, at last, he hung before the Fallen one, his frame finally completed and shimmering.

The light that had enveloped the Prime’s frame dissipated suddenly and he fell, roughly, to the ground at Megatronus’s pedes. His fans whirled, vents desperately trying to cool his overheated frame, as he stared up at the towering mech before him. **_What have I done!?_**

Optimus turned his helm towards where the door to the clinic had once been, and saw Ratchet and Megatron standing there, their servos up against what seemed to be a transparent wall. Ratchet looked frantic, and Megatron livid.

 “One gift has been presented brother,” Megatronus’s voice icy as his wicked smile crept higher on his faceplates. “Now for the second, as I said , the difference between your Orion and you is memories, well memories and, the Matrix within your spark chamber,” the huge mech moved forward his optics hungry and deep,” and in my vast capacity for compassion I shall be happy to release you those burdens brother.”

Optimus backed away realization roiling in his spark, **_Primus, no, what have I DONE!?_**

Optimus abruptly turned, pushing his burning frame up and ran to where the shield separated him and, and the other bots.

“Forgive me, I was wrong, please! Ratchet take them, RUN! Megatron please, I love you, protect my family! I beg you!”

Ratchet pressed his servos desperately against the shield, no longer frozen, “We will NOT leave you Optimus!

“THAT IS AN ORDER! He plans to ta..” Optimus never finished as a large servo wrapped around the front of his helm and grabbed his lower jaw, it spun the Prime around, slamming his back against the shield.

“OPTIMUS!” Optimus could hear Megatron pounding on the shield behind him as his terrified optics rose to look into the Fallen’s.

“Now , now brother, no spoiling secrets.” His servo tightened on Optimus’s lower jaw and with a wrench, tore it from his helm.

 Optimus watched, as if in slow-motion, as his lower jaw and glossa ripped from his frame, his energon splattering the dark mech as he laughed maliciously.

Gagging on the sudden river of energon that flooded his throat and vents, Optimus could hear the bots on the other side of the shield screaming, pounding, yet it seemed far away now. He tried to tell them to run, but only choked more, his energon covering the entire front of his chassis as the Fallen regarded him darkly.

“Look what you forced me do brother, and after I had just put all of that energy into fixing you.” With that he threw the gagging Prime on the ground behind him and straddled it,  his pedes stepping heavily on either side of the leaking frame.

“Now, for your first bit of compensation for my generosity, and, consequently, your second gift,” The Fallen sneered widely, his optics hungry, and blazing as he bent and placed his servos on Optimus’s chest plates. “Either you open them brother, or I shall.”

Optimus’s glared darkly at the creature above him, his arms wrapping tightly across his chest plates and the servos there as he vented out hard sending energon into one of the mech’s burning optics, and across the faceplates of the dark Prime.

Pulling his helm back, his sneer disappeared for a moment, rage flittering across his optic as he wiped the energon from himself. “I had hoped you would say that little Prime.”

The Fallen turned his helm to look back at the other bots who were staring helplessly at the two inside. He looked deep into Megatron’s wild, raging optics and smiled at the warlord, “I must thank you for your pathetic weakness mech, for without it, none of this would have been possible. I want you to remember that, and _you_ ,” he turned back to the heaving Prime beneath him, lifting his clawed servo creating two more crimson, swirling orbs, that wrapped around the Prime’s wrists, painfully pulling them from his chest plates, pinning them to the floor. “You, my beautifully benevolent, yet naïve brother, are just as guilty.”

Megatron watched in horror as the Fallen’s claws thrust in between Optimus’s/ Orion’s chest plates and pried them apart forcefully,  the newly regrown glass shattered beneath his servos, the metal bending back awkwardly. Blue light filled the Autobot base as the Matrix’s glow spilled forth from the struggling Prime’s chest.

“Magnificent, truly, Magnificent.” Megatronus whispered to himself reached into the spark chamber beneath him, his servos grasping each side of the Matrix’s outer frame and pulled, hard. A roar erupted wetly from Optimus’s throat, spraying more energon from the wretched injury, as agony tore through him. Megatron too cried out, falling to his knees outside of the shield, as the bond shared Orion’s pain within Optimus, yet the Matrix didn’t move.

Growling darkly, the Fallen placed a pede upon the aching Prime, readjusted his grip and, roaring, wrenched heavily on the relic. His arms shook with the effort, his frame tight, heaving, “I WILL HAVE YOU!”

Optimus screamed as felt the Matrix slowly start to rip from his spark chamber. It sparked and sizzled, slowly sliding towards the monster above him.

**_PRIMUS I BEG YOU! NOT THIS! DO NOT CURSE THIS WORLD FOR MY FAILURE!_ **

Optimus roared once more, his helm turning to the kneeling warlord, optics frantic, pleading. He could feel Megatron’s fury through Orion’s bond, feel his rage, his energon lust, and his deep, deep sorrow.

“I WILL NOT RUN PRIME! I WILL TEAR HIM ASUNDER!” Megatron, screamed, staring hard into Optimus’s optics, also feeling the other mech through the bond, his fear, shame, terror for his family, for Megatron. The warlord forced him to stand, ignoring the agony in his spark. “Ratchet, take your crew, run for your Prime! NOW!”

Ratchet pulled his bulging optics from the terrifying sight before him, and looked at Megatron brokenly, his optics held desperation, terror, but resolve, “Never.”

Megatron was about to throw the fragger across the base when a terrible pain consumed his spark and he fell once more, just to see the Matrix finally pull free from Optimus. The Fallen laughed triumphantly as he stepped away from Optimus, staring lustfully at his prize.

Optimus’s broken bubbling cries turned even more ragged once the Matrix left his frame, his servos, now free, flew to his helm grabbing the top of it as he arched his trembling frame off the floor.

Megatron grasped his chest plates so strongly he felt energon drip down his servo as he cried out brokenly, “Orion…”

The Fallen turned his helm to Optimus’s thrashing frame, smiling smugly, “Ahhh, your second gift brother.” He knelt then, grabbing Optimus’s helm, and brought it up to his own. Optimus’s wet screams eased once Megatronus’s servo had touched him, and he stared, terrified at the great smiling mech that held him.

“Now you are one brother, the wall that separated your two halves, destroyed. I do hope you are appreciative of my efforts, for how many times do any creatures in this universe truly get a chance to begin once more?” The Fallen sneered sharply, running a digit through the mech’s wound lazily, causing him to flinch in pain.

“DO NOT TOUCH HIM, YOU FILTH!” Megatron’s voice pulled the Fallen’s helm up, his optics blazing almost gleefully.

All of the bots stood together, their weapons drawn and ready, their collective rage thick, deadly, Megatronus reveled in it.

Laying the trembling mech’s helm down gently, the dark mech stood and walked towards the others, stopping just behind the shield, mockingly.

“Your fury is tangible little mechs,” his glossa licked his scarred lips slowly,” I can almost taste it, and it is delicious.” He smiled once more.

“Do not hate me for what your Prime, or, former Prime chose. He did it freely, and for you all.”

“Filthy LIAR!” Ratchet roared, his servos transformed into knives as he shook with rage.

The Fallen’s optical ridge rose in mock offense, “I am many things little mech, but never do I lie. The truth is far more entertaining, and unpleasant. I would tell you to ask him, though, he seems a bit worse off now doesn’t he? I granted him his freedom from my brethren, rebuilt him, mostly, and cleared the way for him, and Orion to become one. I have paid for this fairly.” He raised the relic in his servo before them.

“What did you do to him?” Megatron asked darkly, his optics watching Optimus as the red and blue mech’s frame shook and his vents stuttered, trying to expel the energon within them. The former Prime’s optics were wide with terror, skittering between all of the mechs before him, as if it weren’t just the Fallen he was frightened of, but all of them.

“Exactly what I promised, all that stood between Optimus and Orion were memories, and the Matrix of course. He is now free of all those burdens.”

The bots gasped around Megatron as understanding filtered through their processors.

“His memories, all of them?” Ratchet whispered, his arms dropping in shock.

“He is free to love you now Megatron, wholly. That is, if you can earn it once more.” The Fallen invented deeply, delighting at the horror, and rage crashing over them all.

“As truly delectable all of your energies are, I must leave, for I have so many things to tend to.” With that he turned on them and strode over to his fallen brother, “Goodbye brother, enjoy your love while you can, I shall soon come for my final payment, for the final reckoning is at hand, and its’ ferocity shall echo throughout eternity.”

Suddenly a thundering crackling resounded within the base as a black portal appeared before the Fallen Prime. He turned his helm, glancing at the collected mechs one last time before he walked into the darkness, and disappeared.

Ratchet stared at where the Fallen had exited, his optics wide with terror, “What are we going to do? With the Matrix in him he will be like a god.”

Megatron growled as he watched Optimus’s injured, retreating form. The former Prime had unsheathed his gun from one servo, and held in front of him trying desperately to close his broken chest plates as he backed away, his optics frantic, angry, and lost.

“ _I_ will do what _I_ do best,” his voice dark, and raging, “I am going to tear his putrid spark from his wretched frame. He is not the first god I have had to put down.”


	10. First Impressions.

Energon continued to drip from his helm as he stared at the mechs before him, his weapon armed and ready, merely by reflex, even as his servos shook with the effort. His spark felt like it has been torn apart.

**_At least the dark one is gone._ **

The mech dragged his aching frame into a sitting position, watching the other’s before him, some looked scared, some shocked, and one, the largest of them all, his optics blazed with fury.  He focused his weapon primarily on that mech, his spark ragged, tired, and deeply lost.

**_Who was the dark one? Who are they? Who am I? Did they do this to me? Did the dark one?_ **

The orange and white mech approached him slowly, his servos out before him, speaking some unidentifiable language. Fear spiked through his spark as he growled deeply within his chassis, seemingly startling the smaller mech whose optics grew wide as he stopped, his faceplates growing more concerned.

The great silver mech walked forward, and spoke to the smaller mech who merely looked at him, his optics growing angry for a moment before they seemed to concede, and he nodded backing away, leaving the great mech at the forefront of the group.

The injured mech’s optics narrowed dangerously as the silver mech approached him, the larger mech’s optics open, if not, saddened. He spoke to him, his language as unfamiliar as the other’s, though his deep voice was oddly gentle and inquisitive.

The injured mech shook his helm, his optics still severe, yet he felt something within his spark suddenly, a connection to this great, angry mech before him.

**_/Help, me?/_ **

Megatron started as Optimus/ Orion’s …their voice, crackled through the bond for the first time in what seemed like eons. The voice was broken, soft, and yet held a deep strength beneath it. It was in an old, old, Cybertronian dialect, one that Megatron had to search his processor for a moment to decipher.

 ** _/Want help to I/_** The blue and red mech tilted his helm confused, but his optics blazed with relief at the same time.

**_He speaks poorly, but he understands me!_ **

**_/I am injured. Why? Do you mean me harm? Did you do this?/_ **

The larger mech lowered himself, not so far from the former Prime, kneeling before him. He placed his servos upon his knees, open and weaponless, as he looked into the other mech’s optics deeply.

**_/Remember no? Fallen, mech dark, jaw injury fault gone. Sorry am I, family. Designation, remember?/_ **

The red and blue frame shook his helm, immediately grimacing from the grievous wound at the bottom of his helm, his vents expelling more energon from deep inside his frame as he coughed suddenly.

Megatron’s optics grew concerned, and he heard a shuffle behind him. “You are communicating with, through the bond, aren’t you?” Ratchet marveled quietly.

Megatron nodded slowly so as not to terrify the confused mech in front of him. “He is speaking an ancient language though, it seems he doesn’t understand English. My programing can hardly keep up with him however, and I am positive I sound like a fool, but, it is working.”

Ratchet invented deeply, his shoulders easing on his tense frame. “Do you know what that means Megatron? He still holds Orion’s bond with you! He isn’t completely lost! Ask him if I can tend to his wound,” Ratchet hesitated for a moment adding, desperately, “please.”

Megatron gently waved his servo at the medic, choking down the irritation that grew in his spark, “Easy medic, I can hardly communicate with him, give me a klik!”

“Wait!” Boulder called from the side, trying to keep his huge form as far from the med bay as possible, knowing he might look intimidating to the armed former Prime. “What do we call him now?”

Arcee scoffed angrily, “He is Optimus, Bulkhead.”

Ratchet frowned at her, “Not necessarily Arcee. If it is true that all of his memories have been wiped, then he is neither really, well both, and neither. Perhaps,as he still holds his bond with Megatron, it may be prudent to call him by Orion, as it may ease the reformation of his memory programs.”

Megatron lifted his optical ridge at that, he hadn’t thought of it, and it did sound logical, but for the Autobot medic to suggest anything but Optimus, was surprising.

“Frag that Ratchet, he needs to remember who he is today, or, was. Not some kid mech from before the war! We need him, more than ever now, what with the Fallen having the Matrix, who the frag knows what is going to happen!? We need his warrior side, not some fragging useless archivist, who falls in love with monsters!”

Megatron, sneered at the femme behind him, yet, kept his frame kneeling, not allowing his anger at her to provoke the former Prime. He was all the more surprised then, as he heard a guttural growl come from behind him, and turned to see the injured mech staring at the tiny femme, rage in his optics, and his weapon trained on her.

Arcee’s optics widened, and she put her servos before her cautiously, ”I thought you said he couldn’t fragging understand English!?”  The femme whispered out harshly.

Ratchet grunted, “He probably can’t Arcee, but he can understand Megatron’s feeling through the bond, and by the look of it, seems to take offense. “

Arcee growled once more, her optics blazing at the kneeling warlord as she moved towards him, ignoring the growling coming from the former Prime.

“I knew it! HE is your slagging puppet after all Megatron! You will die before you get to control his fragging SPARK!” She raised her weapon quickly, and pointed it straight at Megatron, who just started to turn towards the raging femme, as her weapon exploded.

“Arcee, NO!” Ratchet cried as the blast hit the warlord directly in the back of his helm, burning deep into the cables there, and immediately knocking the mech’s frame forward, his optics off-lining.

“You have no idea what you have done Arcee!” Ratchet strangled, out his optics on the fallen warmonger.

Though the blast wasn’t nearly as powerful as many of her companion’s, at this range, and because of the location, Ratchet could see the hit had been concussive, at the least, and the wound started to spill energon readily along the med bay’s flooring, leaking it’s inky blue puddle right up to the pedes of the now shocked, and seething, former Prime.

 ** _They shot him!? He was defenssless!_** His spark burned with something he couldn’t understand as he felt his frame begin to tremble in fury. He suddenly felt himself transforming, unwittingly, into his battle mode. His other servo fisted, as a painful ‘ _sheeek’_ sounded, and a battle mask slid forth, ripping across his wounded helm, his optics burning with righteous fury.

The large mech pushed himself up, his chassis emitting a savage roar, and launched his frame at the shocked femme.

He made it to her in two great strides, his far larger servo wrapping tightly around her helm, muffling the terrified shriek that ripped from her chassis, and threw her across the bunker as if she were nothing more than a lobbing ball. Her small frame flew fast and hard into one of its surrounding walls. The throw had been immensely powerful, for as she hit the wall it concaved deeply around her, the wall’s surface splintering drastically, allowing pieces to blow away from the impact. Arcee dropped heavily upon the rubble covered floor, her optics dark, and frame in emergency stasis.

The raging mech stood tall in the center of the base, optics narrowed, cold and calculating, as they scanned over the shocked mechs around him. His chassis revved in warning, and challenge, his arms and weapons sweeping the room.

“Primus!” Ratchet whispered, terror bleeding into his spark, as he watched his oldest friend, his leader, his Prime, Pit, he even considered him as a, as a son, in human terms, stare at his team with a fury he had never seen cross Orion’s or Optimus’s faceplates. **_Perhaps, he truly is lost to us?_**

The towering red and blue mech moved towards the med bay slowly, his weapons armed and ready. Ratchet put his servos up, backing away from the larger mech as he watched him move along Megatron’s side.

 ** _I will get you away from here, from them._** The lost mech knelt, sliding his servo gently beneath the other’s frame, encircling the silver mech’s waist, and grunted  as he lifted him carefully over his right shoulder. He kept the other weaponized servo still pointed at the other mechs as his aching frame  stood once more, the pressure of lifting the great mech causing his wound to reopen, energon dripping from beneath his battle mask, sliding down along his heaving chassis. Then, holding tightly to the silver mech, weapon armed and ready, he made his way to the buildings hanger doors.

“Oh, Optimus, no, please, please, don’t go!!” Ratchet cried out, but the other mech merely glared at him, his weapon flaring slightly, making his threat clear. With that, he placed his other servo on the great door and pushed hard, causing it to slowly begin to move outward ** _._**

Bulkhead started forward, “Boss bot!?

“No, please, Bulkhead! Don’t go near him! He, doesn’t understand, and will defend himself! Stand down!” Ratchet called, his voice broken, his spark heavy with the truth of his warning.

Bumblebee, too, had started towards the hanger doors yet stopped, giving a defeated whine at Ratchet’s plea.  He achingly watched his leader glare at him, and the others, one last time before slipping under the great door, letting it fall back closed, its boom echoing off of the walls of the now silent base.

“What, what are we going to do Ratchet?” Bulkhead whispered, as Ratchet shook his helm, and moved to where Arcee lay.

“You slagging fool Arcee,” the medic knelt next to her small frame, his optics clouded, processor reeling.

“Ratch?”

He picked up Arcee carefully, and turned towards the ruined med bay, shaking his helm, “I do not know Bulkhead, I..., I don’t know.”

Bumblebee walked towards the hanger’s door, lifting his helm just enough for his optics to peer through one of its high windows. He watched Optimus’s frame run off into the desert, holding the warlord tightly as he disappeared into the night.

 His shattered voice box keened sadly, as he placed his servo against the pane of glass, wondering what had happened to his friend, mentor, hero, and if he would ever get to, truly, see him again.


	11. A Moment of Peace

The lost mech traveled deeper into the desert of the strange organic world, in no true direction, he merely avoided the lights of the planet’s inhabitants, finding himself both intrigued by the small, fleshy creatures, and fearful.

**_Did, they know of Cybertronians? Were they friendly?_ **

After what had happened at the base he awoke in, he had decided to not trust anything or anyone, for now. Except perhaps the large mech he carried.

Well, he didn’t trust this mech either, but his spark was pulled to him, and as of now, he was the only being he could communicate with, and the only way he might get some answers.

The red, and blue mech felt his legs begin to tremble, the wound from his missing jaw continued to leak energon, even more so now. His HUD blinked in many error messages from; the growing concern of infection from the injury, to his spark reading fluctuating terribly, and most concernedly, his low energon supplies.

Between the damage of both areas, and his earlier fight, and fleeing, he was almost near shutdown. He had cut the receptors to anything except what was necessary to keep moving.

Suddenly his pede slipped, and he fell hard onto one knee. His ragged vocalizer pushing a wet groan from him, and he rested there a moment.

 His vents, and fans, were caked in dried energon, trying desperately to cool his burning, weakened frame when suddenly, the frame he held let out an even louder groan as it came back online.

The smaller mech was going to let the silver bot down gently until he felt it become stiff,  expertly pushing itself off of him, the force throwing him forward on weak servos, as he barely stopped his helm from smashing into the sands beneath him.

Megatron landed gracefully in the sands behind the mech that had held him, his spark hammering as he scanned his surroundings, his last memories flickering before his optics.

 ** _That fragging slag heap of an Autobot, shot me!_** His servo rubbed the back of his helm gingerly, feeling along the fried plating, and sticky energon.

His optics fell then, to the heaving frame of the former Prime before him. The smaller mech’s helm was lowered, as energon dripped slowly from his helm, one knee, and both servos shaking in exhaustion, weakly holding himself up.

 ** _Did he carry me from their base? Why?_** The warlord looked across the sands finding nothing but the vastness of the desert around them, his optics noticing the other mech’s fading pede marks in the sands behind him. **_How far has he carried me like this?_**

Shaking his aching helm, Megatron strode forward slowly, until he came around to the other mech’s  front.

**_/ Pain?/_ **

 The heaving mech raised his helm, his optics rising to Megatron’s own, they were strained, exhausted, but looked relieved.

**_/Just exhaustion, are you alright? Your helm was hit fairly hard./_ **

**_/Kill hard to am. Jaw energon leaking./_ **

**_/Ha, it doesn’t seem to stop does it? I am a bit low on fuel, and have a slight fever. I am happy you still function. I tried to get you away from them as soon as I was able. I am, I am sorry they hurt you./_ **

Megatron stopped at that, possibilities dancing within his processor. ** _Oh, how I could manipulate this. He doesn’t trust his team, is lost, alone, and I am the only one able to contact him thus far. It is perfect._** Yet as he watched the smaller mech’s frame shudder in exhaustion he felt those thoughts fall short.

Did he truly wish to start that once again? The war, the feuds, the deaths? Perhaps, this was a moment where they could truly begin once more? Yes, he would have to pay for his, crimes, they were far to vast for the universe to wipe clean, but maybe, they could have a moment of peace. This mech, at least, deserved for him to try, as he should have, so long ago.

With the Fallen now a terrifying threat, to both teams, this planet, and possibly, even the husk that was Cybertron. A moment of peace couldn't hurt any of them, for the storm that was coming would indeed be one to be reckoned with. So, was he ready to return to the endless war with one selfish choice?

Megatron invented deeply, **_No, I am not. Not with him at least._**

He watched the heaving frame that had saved him, once more, as it trembled with fever. He also knew this mech was not, Orion, or Optimus, yet, to call him Orion, denied him his warrior side, and the irritating femme was right, they needed a warrior within this frame, not just his Orion.

He had to accept that Optimus was, and, in a way, had always been, a mix between the two mechs within. He may never return to Orion, as Megatron would never return to Megatronus, especially now but, he could be a blend, as he had always been, within the designation Optimus.

**_/Optimus, you, designation is. Megatron, mine. Confused, family, yours. Blame not do them./_ **

**_Optimus is my designation?! And, he is Megatron?_** A flicker of recognition flew across his optics, yet it dwindled just as quickly. 

**_/Optimus?/_** His servo touched his broken chest plates lightly, then extended one towards Megatron, who kneeled gently next to the injured mech, allowing the other’s servo to touch his chest plates as well. **_/Megatron?/_**

**_/Yes./_ **

Optimus, as he knew himself now, vented brokenly, awed at the power, and peace, knowing one’s own designation could bring to a mech.

**_/Thank you, Megatron. Truly, thank you./_ **

Megatron stared at the mech before him, he radiated familiarity and yet felt exceptionally unknown. He vented out, nodding his he heard something approaching, Optimus heard it as well as his optics widened peering up at the sky.

One of the human’s helicopters flew low nearby, as it was dark they wouldn’t be able to see the two great bots out in the open as they were, so Megatron wasn’t worried, Optimus though, panicked. His frame was up in an instant, his servos changing into rifles as he righted himself, pointing directly at the helicopter.

Megatron yelled, “No Optimus!” Yet he didn’t have much to fear, as Optimus’s optics flickered, oddly, and his frame swayed. Megatron rushed forward catching the woozy mech just before he collapsed into the sands.

**_/Optimus. Alright?/_ **

**_/Energon loss, I believe. Is that flight frame a friendly?/_** Optimus watch as the helicopter continued past them, his optics, although disoriented, followed the vehicle until it was merely a couple flickering lights far off.

Megatron smiled slightly, **_Jumpy mech isn’t he?_** Then again, given what he had been through Megatron could understand in a way.

 ** _/Yes mostly. Humans. Can you carry I?....Carry I can?/_  **Megatron growled in frustration as Optimus’s vents huffed in a sort of laugh.

**_/Yes, you may carry me. I do not think I have much of a choice. Where are we going?/_ **

**_/Ship. Heal, medic./_ **

Optimus nodded slightly, as he felt Megatron’s larger frame dip down, wrap his two servos behind him and pull upwards lifting his frame close to him.

 ** _/Bridge comes. Not fear yes?/_** Megatron warned the former Prime, not sure how he would react to it, did he remember such things? He seemed to remember some things.

Optimus’s optics narrowed inquisitively, yet nodded his consent.

  **:Soundwave, I require a ground bridge. I will be bringing the Pri… Optimus. Much has happened, and I will need Knockout available.:**

There was static for a moment until Soundwave’s voice answered him, **:Understood, Lord Megatron. :**

Megatron gave his second in command his coordinates, and waited, holding Optimus’s shivering frame close.

Optimus vented deeply, unconsciously placing helm against the other mech’s chest plates, he could hear the strong spark within. **_It sounds like music._** He mused silently, pressing his helm deeper into the mech’s warmth. The sound seemed familiar, strong, yet comforting, he felt himself falling into recharge with its melody.  Suddenly, an explosive sound of energy burst through night air shocking him from his haze.

 Optimus tore himself from Megatron’s grasp, throwing his right arm out pulling the, equally shocked, mech by his waist and down into the sands beneath him. His frame now protecting Megatron’s, he thrust his left arm out, rifle extended and ready, as a swirling green portal erupted before them!

Megatron optics blinked in shock, looking up at Optimus’s frame covering his, his weapon trained on the portal, and fury in his optics. **_He’s protecting me, from the bridge? I suppose he doesn’t remember after all!_**

Megatron began to laugh suddenly, his vents heaving under the frantic mech above him. Optimus turned his helm, his weapon still at the ready, yet his optical ridge was drawn in confusion.

 ** _/Bridge!/_**  Understanding crept in the other mech’s optics, and they quickly looked  at the portal, glowing in embarrassment .

 Megatron threw his helm back as he laughed, his chassis starting to ache from the effort. He had no idea why he found the entire thing so fragging funny, but after the last few days, Pits, the last eons of war, chaos, loss, here was Optimus, lying across Him, protecting them from a portal.

Optimus pulled his aching frame to his knees, his optics flat as he watched the silver mech sit up, his vents stuttering as his laughter finally began to ease.

 ** _/I don’t think it was that funny Megatron./_**  Megatron laughed harder at that.

Optimus rolled his optics, but his spark felt light, he was happy to see this silver mech laugh, it was as if he too, could feel his amusement, and joy, perhaps? Optimus took his servo, and wacked the mech on his heaving chest plates. **_/Fragger. If you are done, can we get going before I go into stasis?/_**

Megatron pulled himself together at that, only chuckling slightly as he stood, shaking some of the dust from his plates, and leaned to quickly scoop Optimus up. A squeal of surprise escaped from the other mech’s vocalizer, and  Optimus’s unamused optics glared momentarily, as Megatron just smiled.

For a moment they stayed that way, Megatron staring into those familiar yet so different optics, and Optimus staring back, it was as if time had stopped, just for a moment, just for them.

Their sparks seemed to echo the other’s vibrations, and melodies, desperately trying to reach between the vast space that kept them singular.

Optimus looked confused suddenly, his servo lifting towards his broken chest plates. **_Why, why does this mech make me feel this way? What is this, this bond? … BOND!?_**

He raised his helm suddenly to Megatron’s, his optics a storm and so very lost, to this world, to these mechs, even to himself, and now this? Was he so far gone that he couldn’t even remember the mech he had bonded with?

**_/Megatron, are we, are you my bond mate!?/_ **

Megatron’s optics flew wide for a moment, before he turned his helm away, his optics abruptly distant, darker.  He began to walk towards the ground bridge, and Optimus could feel the other’s spark grow heavy, worn.

**_/Once. Heal now. Words later./_ **

Optimus’s processor reeled with questions, guilt, shock, yet he merely nodded, his spark shrinking as well. **_What has happened to me?_**

As Megatron stepped into the bridge he felt his spark grow cold. How could he ever explain what has happened between them? What happened in the war, what happened to their planet, what …kind of a monster he truly was.

 ** _One pede at a time Megatron,_** he told himself darkly, ** _One pede at a time._**


	12. Past, Present, Future

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I am sorry this has taken so much time to come out. I have been rather involved with my other story recently, yet..I kinda had to get some stuff in that one to a certain point, so that it would reflect what happens in this one. As they are part of the same universe, the other being before Optimus was a Prime... and all. Trying to have a certain level of continuity. Anywho, hope you enjoy, and as always, thank you for reading!!!!!

Knockout stared openly at the Prime’s wound, or, former Prime. “Well, that certainly isn’t something you see every day.” His tanks heaved slightly at the gaping gooey space where the other’s jaw used to be. “That, that is disgusting.”

Optimus tilted his aching helm curiously at the medic, not understanding anything the mech was saying, yet the look on his faceplates was clear enough.  Megatron rolled his optics. “Enough with your _professional opinion_ Knockout, can you fix it?”

Knockout gratefully turned from the horrific display, and looked up at Megatron, “Well my lord, without the, err, original jaw, there isn’t much I can do but clean the,” he shivered slightly,” the infection.”

Megatron growled making the smaller medic jump slightly, “Of course.”

**/Is there a problem Megatron?/** Optimus asked.

**/Jaw, hanger in need./**

**/Hanger? The one we escaped from!?/**

Megatron couldn’t help but enjoy that. Optimus saying he escaped from his own base. **/Yes./**

**/No! I just got us out of there, and none too kindly. It isn’t worth it./**

Megatron sighed, as much as he enjoyed being the good mech in Optimus’s optics, he knew they needed that part. **_Now, how to explain it all with this fragging impossible language._**

**:Soundwave, do you have any files of for the Earth languages?:**

A moment passed before the spy bot commed back. **:Affirmative.:**

**:I need a file card for Optimus.:**

**:Affirmative. Location med bay?:**

**:Yes.:**

**:On route.:**

**_Finally, no more stumbling over this wretched language._** Megatron watched as Knockout cleaned Optimus’s wound, near emptying his tanks as he did so.

Soundwave appeared a moment later, a file card in his thin servo.

“Very good Soundwave,  I also need you to contact the Autobot medic, let him know we will require him on the ship. Tell him to bring Optimus’s…jaw.”

The smaller bot nodded, and went about the task.

“Ack!” Knockout gagged a bit, and Megatron rolled his optics as he brought the card to Optimus.

**/Optimus, language card**./

Optimus looked at the small file card curiously, and then nodded as he tilted forward slightly to allow Megatron to insert the card into his processor.

The former Prime’s optics flickered slightly as the information was downloaded.

“Optimus, how are you feeling?” Megatron asked in out loud in English.

The smaller mech jumped slightly at his new found understanding. **/ I understood you? You speak so much clearer now!/**

“Yes, my second in command had some files on the Earth languages; we are now in a country of the United States. There are a multitude of languages spoken here, but now you should be able to understand them all, and, once your jaw is mended, speak them. Odd though, is that you spoke a language that hasn’t been used since the original 13 Primes. Do you understand why?”

Optimus gave him a flat look, **/There is nothing I really understand Megatron. My processor is a mess. I know somethings, as in, I am on a berth, I can fight, it seems, I understand this is a ship, but I was startled by the ground bridge./** Optimus glared at him when a small smile had appeared on his faceplates. **/Ha. Ha.… Moving on, I also did not know the language that you all speak, or what vorn it is, why we are here, where is Cybertron? What happened to the all spark? Why did that femme attack you, why…why are we bonded, and why does it hurt you so deeply?/**

“Easy Orion, one question at a time!” Megatron smiled, shaking his helm.

**/Who is Orion?/**

Megatron felt his spark freeze for a moment, a deep frozen ache of regret, pain, sorrow…

**/And, why does he hurt you so deeply?/**

Megatron caught himself, **/Fragging bond./** “Oh, slag, I am sorry Optimus. I am losing track of where my thoughts are going.”

Megatron vented in frustration. **/I haven’t been bonded in so long, I forget/**

Optimus looked at him over Knockout’s gagging frame, his side of the bond emitting patience, yet deep seated confusion, and concern.

“Perhaps we should talk of these things once you have rested more? You only got to recharge for a short amount of time.” Megatron suggested, he had been hoping this conversation would happen long from now.

Optimus’s optics grew wide in fear, **/NO! Please, Megatron, I am tired of being so lost./**

Megatron studied the smaller mech, his processor spinning frantically. How was he going to explain everything? Did he want to explain _everything?_

Soundwave commed him suddenly.

**:Medic Ratchet requests ground bridge to Nemesis’s location.:**

**:Very good Soundwave, bring him aboard immediately.:**

He turned back to Optimus whose optics pleadingly watched him.

  **/The medic, Ratchet is coming aboard this ship to repair you. You have no reason to fear him. He is a far better medic than Knockout./** A sudden retching noise sounded from the red medic, proving his point further.

**/One of those other bots!? They attacked you, you were kneeling, unarmed!/**

“They, had their reasons Ori.., slag it! Optimus! They had their reasons OPTIMUS!”

**/WHAT REASONS!?/** Optimus stood suddenly eliciting a shriek from Knockout as some of the infected energon got on his helm.

“Oh Primus! It’s on me!!! Oh, is it in my mouth, IS IT!?”

“Arrrrgh, Knockout! Go wash yourself off, you sorry excuse for a medic!” Megatron roared as the mech ran out of the room.

Megatron turned back to Optimus, who continued to merely stare at him with desperate optics.

“Sit down Optimus, before you fall into stasis. Please?”

Optimus narrowed his optics, but sat back down begrudgingly, and Megatron couldn’t help but see Orion in that moment, as Optimus sat, arms crossed, sulking. He invented deeply, and moved forward to sit on a berth across from the lost mech.

Both were silent for a while, both sparks rolling with confusion, uncertainty.

Megatron stared down at his servos, battling an unseen war within his spark.

  ** _Do I tell him everything? What do I say first? That we were bonded, then…, or should I start with recent events? Or the war? Cybertron in ruins?_**

He couldn’t help but wonder what a lifetime like Optimus’s/ Orion’s, could feel like to hear. The responsibility that this lost mech would have to suddenly carry, all the while, remembering nothing from before. How could he tell him about how he needed to help save this world from an evil he inadvertently released, and had no idea existed? Would he want to save this world he barely knew? Could he, should he have to?

Megatronus looked into the other’s lost, innocent optics, ** _So akin to Orion’s…once upon a time…_**

Megatron invented deeply, he knew of one place he could start, as much as it terrified him to do so.

“Optimus, I am not a good mech.”  As Megatron looked into those beautiful, cerulean optics, he felt his spark burn within him, it blazed with shame, guilt, regret, past anger, realization…

Optimus merely tilted his helm, feeling the other mech’s inner war, the tidal wave of agony, ferocity, and fear,

“I destroyed Cybertron, so many of its civilians. Our species is almost extinct, because of my actions. I have reveled in the blood of guilty and innocent  alike. I have burned cities down. I, I remade our world in flames, thinking it was righteous fury that drove me. I was wrong, I was broken. I had, had some... things dear to me taken from me.”  

Megatron shook his helm, trying to find the right words, “No, not dear, precious, my life, my... loves, their sparks were stolen from me. Ripped from this life, in a terrible, brutal way. It, it broke me, it RUINED ME.”

Megatron stood suddenly, his helm dropped, servos on his hips, as he paced, “I wanted to destroy them all. We had started with pure intentions, but they twisted us, tore us, into what they were. Only I don’t believe they thought we would fight on, and fight we did! Even after all they had done to us, but what they did, had a lasting effects.”

Megatron stopped, lifting a servo to his helm, old nightmares and demons filtering through his processor. “I don’t think we even knew how broken we were, how far their actions had truly tainted us, deep and hidden, especially at the end.”

He looked at Optimus then, his spark dark, heavy, and devastated, Optimus could obviously feel him, powerfully, through the bond. He sat hunched, his optics wet and gleaming with Megatron’s tale.

**/Who is we?/**

Megatron scoffed lightly, “Many mechs were tainted by the senate’s twisted ways, but just then, I spoke of myself, and, my bond mate…Orion.”

**/I am Orion, or, I was…? I was torn from you, by the senate on Cybertron? You in turn destroyed the planet? Killed the guilty, and innocent? Now we are here, and are these the last of us? The last of our citizens? Is that why the femme shot you? Because you are a warmonger!? Because, you became exactly what you were fighting AGAINST!?/** Optimus was standing once more, his servos clenched, vents wild.

Megatron looked deeply into the fuming mech’s optics, their righteous anger burning brightly.

“Abridged, but yes.”

Optimus lifted his arm, transforming to his rifle aiming it straight at Megatron’s spark, **/Why should I not destroy you right now?/**

Megatron, invented slowly, he wasn’t afraid, he wasn’t even insulted, just tired, tired of all of it. He spread his arms dejectedly, “I am not entirely sure, if you shouldn’t Optimus. I know what I am capable of. I know the evils I have wrought. I am not even certain I can be anything more than the demon I became. I have been fighting for so long. So long.”

He put his arms down, and turned so that his spark chamber was directly in front of the weapon, walking forward so that it touched his chest plates.

Optimus stared at him, his own spark ragged with the silver mechs pain, sadness, regret, exhaustion, and he couldn’t help but think, **_This mech is just as lost as I am. Yet, he is wretched, selfish, wicked, he destroyed everything! I should kill him, rid this universe of his influence!_**

**_But… Why has he been so kind though? For a being so evil, how could he touch me gently, take care of me? Tell me the bots that SHOT him, didn’t mean to, that they were lost!?_ **

Optimus’s processor swirled in chaos, logically, he should kill him, even he admitted to the possibility of becoming that demon once more, that monster. He should end it, he had the chance, right now! No mech is capable of that much change right?

**/If I weren’t to kill you, what do you plan on doing? Resume the annihilation of our kind?/**

Megatron vented slowly, “No. For the moment, there is a great threat to deal with. The Fallen, one of the Thirteen Primes, has the Matrix of Leadership, a very powerful relic, and if you think me wicked, he is indeed pure evil. I do not know what he plans, but it shall echo throughout the universe, especially with the power he now possesses. I shall stand and fight, with all of the remaining Cybertronians, to relieve him of his spark. While he is free, there will be no peace for any creature in any galaxy.”

Optimus narrowed his optics as he thought of the great dark mech he had seen before, and he remembered the terror he had felt as the mech stood over him. Though he could not understand any of the other mechs, the dark one’s words had been vividly clear, and they burned deep within his spark.

 He also felt that he knew that mech, perhaps from long ago, but he had a connection to him. Not like Megatron, or even the nagging sense of familiarity that everything in this world had produced, but deeper. ** _He had called me his brother. Brother in arms, or, something more? Megatron had said my dialect was originally from ancient times, during the times of these Primes. Am I a…?_**

Optimus shook his aching helm dismissively, **/And after, if we succeed in destroying this evil Prime, what then?/**

Megatron turned his helm as smiled, slightly, sadly, “I am not sure. I think, helping to find a way to rebuild the chaos I have wrought. With rebuilding Cybertron, bringing the existing citizens together again, as equals, help create a fair, just system for government, then, find a home. I have never truly had one. I will find one, perhaps with a crystal garden, library, and try to live simply for once, in that fair and just system.”

Megatron looked back at Optimus, his optics clouded, yet hopeful, “And, who knows, perhaps after all of this, I could earn the forgiveness of that very mech I lost so long ago, and maybe, even his love?”

Optimus stared at the mech before him, so lost, perhaps far more than even he was. He sounded tired, humbled even, and even a little hopeful. Optimus lowered his helm as he let his rifle fall, transforming back to his servo.

**/That, that sounds like quite the dream to fight for. Rather honorable, for a warmonger./**

Megatronus laughed slightly, moving closer to Optimus frame, “It was what we wanted in the beginning of all of this, Orion and I, we were just far too young, and more naïve than we realized. I have had eons to learn from my mistakes, and I will fight, with all my power, the right way, to see that dream realized.”

He moved closer still, the two mech’s frames touching lightly, hesitantly. Their sparks tugged outward within their chassis, and to Megatron, it felt as if the home he yearned for, stood there before him, in this smaller, confused, but always righteous mech. How different, and yet strikingly similar he was.

 Lost yes, but he had Orion’s passion, love, innocence, yet, he was also Optimus, a warrior, confident in what was right and wrong, and he would fight to defend it. A stunning balance of the two former mechs, finally one, as they always should have been.

Optimus vented out, his shoulders releasing their previous tension, fear, anxiety, and allowed himself to lean against the larger mech.  His helm reached perfectly to the other’s chest plates, and he rested against them, listening to the beautiful hum within. Just as before, it felt so familiar, and yet so very new.

The silver mech wrapped his arms around the smaller frame, his left servo cradling the other’s helm to him closely, and he rested his helm atop it.

“I love you Optimus, I have always loved you. I just, I was too twisted, lost, too… broken, to see it, to remember how to love anything, even myself.”

Optimus’s helm nodded in his servo, his spark aligning with its bonded, their melody echoing in each frame beautifully.   **/Then let us try, and find each other once more, together?/**

Megatron vented softly, smiling, “Together.”

“Oh, PRIMUS! That, _that_ was fragging adorable!” Hitching sobs came from the med bay doors, and both mechs pulled apart to find Ratchet, and Knockout standing there.

Coolant was running from Knockout’s optics, as his servos covered his mouth plates in awe. Ratchet merely stood, a slight smile upon his faceplates, kind, and knowing.

“Now let’s fix his disgusting face so they can kiss!” Knockout’s vents hitched some more as he moved into the room, Ratchet merely rolling his optics as he followed.

…………………………………

The Fallen’s portal opened deep within the Earth, where the slumbering God rested.

He pulled the Matrix from his subspace, optics wide and greedy, as he moved forward, where the glowing pools of the Great Destroyer’s blood swirled, thick, and glowing its eerie purple light.

He smiled wickedly as he knelt by the pool, “I could awaken you Great One, but I know your lust for control to be too great, and I have no intention of becoming your puppet. So, I shall merely borrow some of your power.”

“I shall harness that power you ‘Gods’ have squandered so selfishly. With the power of Primus, and Unicron within me, there will be no creature that shall be my EQUAL!”

He leaned forward and dipped the sparkling blue relic into the bubbling pool beneath him.

Blinding light erupted from where the Matrix was emerged, forcing the Fallen to cover his optics. The relic shook violently under the glowing liquid, frothing the surface with its ferocity.

Just before he felt he was going to lose the vibrating relic, Megatronus ripped it from the pool falling back as the blazing light vanished, and the pool became still once more.

Megatronus vented wildly, his frame shaken from the force it had taken to hold the Matrix, and his optics marvel at the mutated orb.

Where once it had glowed blue, pure, beautiful, it now emitted a dark, wretched purple, even darker than the pools that surrounded him. It pulsed with power, shaking even now.

“Magnificent,” the Fallen whispered, rising to his knees. He opened his chest plates, revealing his own twisted dark red spark, and placed the matrix before it, already feeling the Matrix’s great power as it sparked and raged before him.

“I shall be INVINCIBLE!” He roared as he plunged the tainted orb into his chest.

“AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!”   Agony tore through him as his spark was enveloped by the energy of the Matrix. His frame seized, shaking violently, and his energon blazed within him.

“AAAARRRGH! AHHHHHH! YEEEEEEEES! I FEEL IT!” His frame was morphing around him, spikes emerging from his helm, and shoulders. His arms and legs grew vastly in size, their plating cracking, reforming to jagged armor.  His optics felt as if acid had been poured into them, as they were over taken by the power, turning pitch black. It was as if, even the very Earth, trembled in terror of him, as the caverns that surrounded him shook violently, their walls crumbling slightly with the force.

Finally, the change was complete, and all became silent once more.

Steam seeped from between his joints as his frame burned from the change, swirling along him, black, and hot.

The Fallen vented deeply, pushing himself off of his knees, closing his chest plates as he started at his new frame in awe.

A deep, wretched laugh tore from his lips and he threw his helm back, his chassis rumbling deeply. “Ahhhh, magnificent power!” He took some heavy steps, adjusting to his frame’s bulk, smiling.

“Now, nothing shall stop me, and I shall tear my enemies apart! First on that list,” he waved his clawed servo, and his portal opened before him, as his spark raged in excitement, and anticipation, “The very brethren that betrayed me, so long ago.”

 He laughed wickedly once more as he moved to the portal, “Beware Prima, for I am coming.”


	13. Beginning of the End.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annnnd it has been too long, I apologize. So, I have been working on my other story, but that is merely because I am trying to make a 3 part story...now, and needed to catch up with stuff. Actually, this chapter here might spoil some things...maybe, for those readers that have been paying attention to both stories. Anywho.. it has been too long since I have updated this, and I insist that you guys try out my other story as well, it fills in a lot of the apparent holes... that are, or will be coming. Eeeeep either way... I hope you enjoy! Oh, and sorry for errors, I will fix um up through today, and tomorrow...it is so late now, but I wanted to get this out!

Alpha Trion walked solemnly through the vast halls that connected to the Chamber of the Primes. His spark heavy, and processor swirling, as all of the recent events played out painfully

He stopped a moment, staring, as his brother Prima paced, mumbling angrily to himself, his helm shaking back and forth.

The loss of Primus had hit each of the Ancient Primes differently, yet Prima seemed to suffer most severely. It seemed, without his link to the creator, his spark had begun to finally need to fight off the evils of the Universe around them.

During his entire existence and, being the closest Prime to Primus, the first Prime created... Prima had been blessed with the protection of Primus’s light, almost like a shelter for him. A shield from any negative influence, and now Alpha Trion could only watch his brother crumble before him, eon, by eon.

Proof of his falling had been confirmed, in Trion’s optics, by his most recent choices, namely dealing with the young Prime Optimus. Having him chained, and gagged as Prima played with his spark as a puppet.

Alpha Trion had remained silent as the judgment was passed; knowing his brother Prima’s descent would not allow him to concede in his verdict, no matter if any of the other Primes had spoken for Optimus, which, none of them had…

None.

Alpha Trion vented as darkness filled his thoughts.

**_If only they knew who Optimus was, truly…_ **

Alpha Trion had been one of last of the Thirteen Primes to finally rejoin the Chamber. He had always enjoyed their charges/ creations, the Cybertronians. He had stayed behind first by choice, to live amongst them simply to behold their wonder!

 Once a young race, needing guidance and protection, he watched them grow in confidence and determination, right up to the glorious Golden Age. That time when energon seemed to flow through every street and all was naught but peace, and pleasure, and it was, for many on Cybertron. Yet, as some cities of Cybertron glowed with promise, others had dimmed in slavery, and death. At the very pinnacle of that age, two mechs were created that would change the fate of Cyberton forever.

One, found within the light and glory of Iacon, and the other, abandoned within the darkness of the lowest pit on Cybertron…

Orion Pax, and Megatronus of Kaon.

Alpha Trion remembered the solar-cycle he had been notified of his honorable mission of taking Orion Pax to become his protégé. His to protect and guide, in the vulnerable vorns of the very special mech’s life. Yet, Trion was a Prime, a hidden Prime true, but he had no true understanding of raising a sparkling. Yes, he could teach young Orion to read, the histories, mathematics, but love, family, happiness?

For that, he turned to the few, truly noble, mech’s he had gotten to know during his time on Cybertron. He would not allow any of them to know just _how special_ Orion was, as it was a secret that would be held, Trion hoped, for all time. Yet, there was one mech that seemed to know Orion was different almost immediately. Yet, instead of it making him more wary of the youngling, it made his love of the little sparkling all the stronger.

The medic Ratchet was a younger mech, then, and spark broken. He had once had the promise of a family with a worthy, handsome mate by the designation Silverray. The two were truly meant for one another, Silverray an artist, a magnificent painter and Ratchet, the leading medic in his classes. So different, yet they fit so well.

They had even chosen to have a sparkling by carrying, instead of adopting through the All Spark. Not an unknown method, but not one used often given the risks during formation, both to the sparkling, and the carrier. It was not an unfounded fear they discovered... for during their Sparkling’s spark extraction from its carrier’s, there was a complication that even Ratchet’s skilled servos could not fix, and he lost them both within an instant.

Ratchet almost gave up medicine then, and if it weren’t for the caste system, and his honorable, albeit broken spark, he would have. So it was, that he was one of the last mechs Alpha Trion had introduced little Orion to, for fear of bringing up those terrible memories.

Alpha Trion smiled slightly recalling the first time Ratchet and Orion had met, it had been by accident really.

Trion had been working late, once more, within the Archives, little Orion crawling around the floor chirping endlessly, playing with many of the datapads he had unceremoniously spilled over from the many piles that surrounded the vast room.

Alpha Trion had always been a very patient bot, but as the cycles passed with Orion, he had realized even more, how lost he was when it came to sparklings, even fate ordained ones... when Ratchet had burst in, fuming _slightly,_ over a late decryption of one of the older medical texts.

 “Alpha Trion! I have been waiting for far too long for these texts to be deciphered! I have numerous patients that could benefit from this information, and I THINK I have been MORE than PATIENT!” Ratchet growled, stomping his way around the chaos of scripts, and datapads. He was so set on his course to Alpha’s desk, that he almost stepped on little Orion.

Suddenly a frightened squeal sounded below him and, just in time, Ratchet stopped his pede, his optics wide in amazement, as he moved his leg to find a tiny, silver frame curled up amongst the datapads.

“What…?” Ratchet had whispered, his mouth gaping.

Alpha Trion had smiled at his unexpected guest, “Ahhh, hello Ratchet. Subtle as always, may I introduce you to Orion, Orion Pax, my… ward.”

Ratchet hadn’t taken his optics off of the small thing, as it began to unfurl itself, it’s little helm turned to look at the loud newcomer. Ratchet marveled as the little mech's far too large, and brilliantly blue optics blinked up at the him, smiling. 

“Orion?” Ratchet had crouched down then, as the tiny sparkling began chirping and cooing up at him, trying to push its little frame up to be closer. Orion had made it just a few steps before he began to fall, but Ratchet’s larger servos caught the little thing easily, picking Orion up pulling him into a cradle against him, Orion giggling, his servos grasping at the orange and white mech’s helm.

Ratchet had stood, still cradling Orion as he brought his suspicious optics to Alpha Trion. “You didn’t ask to be assigned a Well sparkling Trion. I know, I would know. Was, was he abandoned by his actual carrier, and sire?”

Alpha Trion had watched the medic carefully then. The true nature of Orion’s creation was a very delicate subject, one that most other mech’s had just assumed was an adoption by an old, lonely mech in need of companionship. Ratchet, obviously, was far more observant than even Trion had given him credit for.

“Yes, and no Ratchet. The details of Orion’s creation are rather… sensitive, and I am afraid that I cannot divulge the particulars. Not even to you my friend.”

Ratchet’s optics had narrowed slightly, as his helm turned down to the sparkling snuggling into his chassis. “You didn’t ask for him, you consider him a _ward_ , and you have him up with you here in the middle of the night!? Wasn’t there some mechs FAR more suited to take Orion?”

Trion had laughed lightly at the snide comment, “As gracious as your faith in me is, yes, I suppose were Orion any other sparkling, it would indeed be more suitable for him to have been given to another mech, or mechs, yet, as it is…”

“He _isn’t_ any other sparkling…” Ratchet finished for the bearded mech, his optics blazing with the truth of that, almost as if Ratchet could tell just by holding the little thing.

Ratchet lifted his helm once more, “What is he Trion? I have held many, many sparklings in my time, but I have never felt, felt…”

“Connected like this?” Trion nodded. “Yes, Orion is… special. He has a very different path ahead of him Ratchet, one I pray, he may never have to come to realize. Yet, for now, I am merely honored with the opportunity to help raise, and teach him, so that when or, if that path is presented, he will be far more prepared.”

Ratchet had growled, causing Orion to shiver slightly, the medic’s arms holding him closer in apology, “Trion, you can’t just raise a sparkling on books, and lessons, they… they need love, friends, snacks, play. He isn’t just some _ward,_ some prophetic creature. Orion is a sparkling, and if his path is so fragging secret, at least give him the chance to have some interaction as a _normal_ sparkling!”

Alpha Trion had frowned, “Well, I would, but he cannot be in the normal system schoolings. If even a hint of, Orion’s _oddities_ were to show, he would immediately have a target on him at all times. No. Though, I have tried to get him to have some of those interactions through other mechs, yet they are far too busy to truly be of service, sadly.”

“TOO BUSY FOR A LONELY SPARKLING?!” Ratchet yelled, causing the tiny frame to bundle tighter in his arms.

Trion nodded, almost dramatically, his optics seemingly torn, “Thus you find him here, late at night. I did not ask for the wonder of this sparkling, yet am greatly honored by it, if not exceptionally ill fitted for the… compassionate, family, side.”

“You’re fragging right you are.” Ratchet grumbled, peering down at the bundle in his arms as he had reset his vocalizer nervously. “Listen Trion… I, I could help with Orion if, UNTIL, you find some mech more suited for it.” Ratchet had looked away for a moment, his optics hard, and clouded. “I find myself with far too much free time now anyways.”

“YES!” Alpha Trion had jumped from his seat, surprising even Ratchet. “Yes, please Ratchet! As is evident, I could use all the help I could get, especially at night. I would be eternally grateful for the assistance. In fact, if you would take him tonight, I could get to deciphering those texts for you!”

Ratchet had pursed his lips, optics narrowing once more, “Well… fine, you do need the help, and I need those texts... BUT only until you find some mech better suited! Alright?”

Trion had nodded, “Of course dear friend, of course.”

After gathering the meager supplies for Orion, Ratchet grumbling at how insufficient they were the entire time, Ratchet had turned to leave. He stopped once more at the door, glaring at Trion, “Again only…”

“Until I find some mech more suited… You have my word dear friend.”

As Ratchet left, Alpha Trion had sworn he heard the medic cooing at Orion explaining they were going on an adventure, and the Prime could only smile thinking, **_I already have dear friend. I already have.._**

…………..

Alpha Trion shook his helm, frowning once more.

**_If only all beginnings could be like dear Orion’s._ **

Just as Optimus’s beginnings were filled with light, Megatron’s were filled with shadows.

 It was there, within that darkness, that Megatronus, or now Megatron, of Kaon began. In the forgotten wastes, outside of the gleaming prosperous cities such as Iacon, Vos, or Praxus. There he began what could only be called, the beginning of the end.

Alpha Trion vented deeply, his helm bowed as he recalled those solar-cycles from so long ago, for he had known Megatronus beifely during those days. He had witnessed the passion, and true ability the young gladiator had to love, care for those around him, especially with Orion, always Orion.

The two young mech’s had inspired one another, loved each other, and… suffered together. They fought on, through it all, making their way first through Kaon, then the lower cities, working their way up till that fateful day that the two nervous, but determined, mechs stood before the senate.

The Ancient Prime shuddered as he recalled that terrible, prophetic day.

 The day he witnessed the death of the young, idealistic, hopeful younglings, as they became who they were destined to be; Megatronus becoming the wicked, raging, monster now known as Megatron, and Orion becoming the stoic, honorable, solider, Optimus Prime.

  ** _The beginning of the end…_**

Aplha Trion shook his helm once more, his optics peering at the still pacing Prima when suddenly, he heard the odd sound of… running pedes?

Given the always lackadaisical aura that inhabited the Chamber now, it was an unnerving sound.

Prima’s helm rose immediately as he rushed towards the sound, Alpha Trion standing back, patient as ever.

It was Vector that appeared to have been running. “Prima, Megatronus is gone, as is Optimus!”

Prima’s optics narrowed, his optical ridge drawn tight, “It is not possible. Only I have the power to release him from his prison.”

“Once, long ago, that may have been true brother,” Alpha Trion stepped forward then, his spark hammering in his chamber.

Prima scowled at his brother, “It remains so Trion.”

Alpha Trion also narrowed his optics, “Evidence would prove otherwise.”

“ENOUGH!” Vector yelled, “He is gone Prima, I saw the cage myself, his chains, bindings all there, no Prime.”

Prima glared at his brothers before growling as he turned his helm, bowed in thought, “What would Megatronus want with Optimus?”

Vector mimicked the other Prime as Alpha Trion’s shoulders sagged. Had his brethren become so withdrawn from reality that they could not easily recognize the significance before them.

“The Matrix, brothers.” Alpha Trion stated, his spark aching even as he said it.

Prima laughed, “That is foolish Alpha Trion. Megatronus is the one Prime that cannot wield the Matrix. Yes, mighty Primus had forgiven him enough to rejoin us here, but the Matrix is beyond that monster’s grasp. Its power is too pure for one once tainted by Unicron.”

Alpha Trion nodded slightly, “Indeed, it is, as long as it remains pure.”

Prima snarled, moving toward his brother, an argument hanging on his glossa when suddenly, a terrible shudder shook the floor beneath them.

“What!?” Vector threw his arms out, steadying himself as the columns around them shuttered, small bits falling from above. The temperature within the hall grew cold, their venting steaming out in puffs of white, and the three Primes looked at one another, their optics wide.

“It would seem,” Alpha Trion started as he turned his helm towards the main chamber, a roar splitting the air, “that our missing brother has returned.”

………………………..

Ratchet sat back admiring his servo work. Optimus’s jaw was now cleanly welded, and riveted back in place. The wound had been cleaned, sutured, and wired properly.

In many ways the medic was grateful that he was in the Nemesis’s med bay to do the procedure. He would not have been able to do it nearly as proficiently in their base’s med bay.

Optimus had allowed him to do it all, yet insisted on being alert during the process, his optics watching Ratchet uncertainly the entire time. In so many ways that hurt Ratchet’s spark, but he kept his field pulled tight, and his processor focused.

“There Optimus, all set. Now I wouldn’t talk for a few solar-cycles more, and you should take your energon intravenously as well, but otherwise you should be set.” Ratchet smiled slightly, backing away from the larger mech as he sat up.

 **:Thank you medic Ratchet.:** Optimus answered over Ratchet’s comm line.

Ratchet nodded, his smile wavering for a just moment at curt, formal reply, but he recovered quickly as he started to gather his supplies.

Megatron nodded at the result, “You truly are a wonder of a medic Ratchet.”

Ratchet huffed, “I was given the opportunity to have far more experience before our planet was destroyed Megatron. Far more than your young medic.”

Megatron grunted, casting a side glance at the recharging Knockout.

“So, I suppose my job is done now, I should be going.” Ratchet stated, his faceplates calm and collected, even as his spark hammered within him.

Megatron’s optics fell upon the small medic, his processor thoughtful. “Actually Ratchet, if you could perhaps stay a bit. You have known Optimus far longer than any of us. I would be… grateful, if you could help fill in some holes or, answer some questions I am certain he may have.”

Optimus raised his optical ridge as he peered at the medic with newfound interest. **_This medic has known me longer than Megatron?_**

Ratchet’s servos stilled, his helm turned downward as he tried to override his cooling systems as his spark raced.

“Thank you Megatron. I, I would be happy to help.”

Optimus’s optics shifted between the two mechs, he sensed an importance within the older mech yet couldn’t truly understand why. Some connection, like so many that were now marred by the unending blur that enveloped his consciousness now, but much like Megatron, it was stronger, not a bond romantically but…

 **: Are you my, my carrier, or sire Ratchet? :** Optimus commed the older mech gently.

Ratchet froze.

Megatron felt Optimus’s spark jump, and watched as the medic stopped dead in his tracks.

“What is it Ratchet?" The silver mech asked, his tone worried.

The old medic’s optics stared into the floor, as if he were trying to burn through to its very core. “He, he asked if I was his… carrier, or sire.”

Megatron felt his fear ease as he smiled into Optimus’s curious optics, “Yes Optimus. Ratchet is very much like those, only… he chose to become so. Even though he did not create you, or ask for you from the Well, you came to him as a surprise, a gift, he…” Megatron looked at the medic once more, noticing how his servos shook, and optics began to pool with coolant, “he was not burdened with your existence, he fought for it. More so than even me…”

Ratchet’s vents hitched as he covered his optics with a servo, trying to still the chaos within his spark.

Megatron smiled down at Optimus, “Let your spark guide you, and you won’t need memories to understand how important this mech has been to you Optimus. I... I have things I must attend to. I will give you both some peace. KNOCKOUT!”

The red medic jumped immediately, “AHHHH what! What, some mech, bleeding, FACE MONSTER!” Knockout’s optics looked around blearily, as his frame swayed in exhaustion.

Megatron rolled his optics as he pushed the smaller mech through the doors. “Go and recharge properly Knockout. I will call for you if I need you.”

“Uhhh, thank you, uh, Lord Megatron,” Knockout stumbled towards his berthroom, amazed at his lord’s kindness.

“Take your time Ratchet. You are welcome to recharge here, as long as your blasted teammates don’t think I am keeping you hostage, and decide to attack.”

Ratchet merely nodded his covered helm, his frame shaking less now.

With that, Megatron left , closing the doors to the med bay, leaving the two mech’s in silence.

Optimus stared at the closed doors, his spark whirling in confusion, and guilt. He turned his helm to the, now, more composed medic, as the bot stood stiffly, his back facing him.

 **: I apologize Ratchet, I am, I am just… so very lost. I never meant to, to forget you.:** Optimus’s spark ached deeply as he stood, and gingerly made his way to the smaller trembling bot.

“It is fine Optimus, I, I have been forgotten by you before, I just, you’d think I would be used to it now!” Ratchet suddenly invented, realizing what he had said. “Oh scrap, Optimus! I just meant, I…”

Ratchet’s vents hitched harder as his legs shook beneath him, threatening to collapse, until two strong servos caught him.

 **: Forgive me, Sire.:** Optimus slowly lowered the smaller bot to the floor, turning his hitching frame to face him.

“OOoooooh, frag off Optimus!” Ratchet moaned, his servos weakly trying to pry himself from the larger mech.  “I, I should be the one to be… be comforting you SLAG IT! I am the FRAGGIN MEDIC!”

Ratchet curled into himself, the stress of the last week soaring through his processor. Once more he had been so close to losing Optimus/ Orion, just as he had before…

**_Primus, I can’t take this loss anymore! Leave this mech ALONE! I BEG YOU! Let him find HAPPINESS you fragging SLAG HEAP!_ **

**: Let me help you for now Sire? Please?:** Optimus held the shaking bot tightly, he could feel, deep within his spark, his connection to this mech, and wanted to know why. Why could he feel him so deeply, and why had he hurt him as well,  just like Megatron...

 ** _Do I hurt all that love me so... terribly_** ** _?_** Optimus shuttered his optics. **_What kind of mech have I been?_**

Filled with self-doubt Optimus forced himself to smile, even as his jaw screamed with the effort.

**: Could you tell me about who I am Ratchet, please?:**

The smaller mech’s venting eased once more, and he raised his helm to Optimus’s blazing, inquisitive optics. “You Optimus, you are like no mech I have ever experienced before, in all the vorns of my existence.”

Ratchet smiled, his servo wiping his faceplates quickly, and he pulled himself from the larger mech’s servos, coming to rest against a few of the cabinets in the med bay.

Optimus followed suit, resting his back plates against the cool metal doors, sitting next to the smaller bot thoughtfully.

“Where to start?” Ratchet mused sarcastically, yet his optics were searching. “Ahhh, you came into my life one dark night when I was, slightly irritated…”

Optimus vented out, almost akin to a laugh, and Ratchet glared at him.

“Watch your seems mech, I spent a lot of work on those repairs! Anyways, as I was _saying_ , I met you one night in the archives of Iacon. Alpha Trion was your ‘mentor’ at the time…”

Optimus settled his aching helm against the metal behind him as he listened to Ratchet’s tales, his spark still chaotic, but more at peace than it had been since he had woken, wounded and lost… not so long ago.

………..

As Ratchet continued on, Optimus felt his understanding of his connection to the smaller mech grow before him.

**_All that this mech has been through, because of me…_ **

“That is when you left, running from Iacon, leaving to find your place with Megatronus. Megatronus, as I said before, being Megatron.” Ratchet shook his helm sadly, his processor full of phantoms. “I wish I had followed you Orion…uh, I mean, Optimus.”

**:I do not mind being called Orion, by you, or Megatron. You both seem more similar with that designation… far more comfortable.:**

Ratchet hesitated for a moment, his optics contemplative. “Perhaps, yes… It is how we both knew you before, well... before you were gifted with the Matrix.”

 **: Then please, do so.:** Optimus smiled, his jaw aching once more.

“Ha, alright Orion,” Ratchet felt his spark jump at the designation, what he called that little sparkling for so long. He marveled at how desperately he too had missed the sound of it from his lips.

He had loved Optimus as well, but, he had yearned for his little Orion since the day he became the Prime.

“As I was saying, Orion, when you left Iacon, the boxes of supplies tied to your alt-form, I knew I should have…”

Suddenly, an extremely loud alarm broke their peace, it wailed miserably, causing both mechs to cover their audials.

Optimus’s optics narrowed as he pulled himself to his pedes, he immediately felt for Megatron’s field.

**/Megatron!? What is going on?/**

**/Optimus, come to the command deck, there is a… Solus Prime demands your presence./**

“What is it Orion!?” Ratchet called over the alarms, his optics wide as he too pulled himself up.

**:I am uncertain. A Solus Prime wishes my audience within the command deck.:**

Ratchet’s faceplates blanched, “SOLUS PRIME!?”

Optimus merely nodded as he made his way through the ship, Megatron luckily having sent him coordinates to the location, Ratchet followed nervously behind him.

As the doors to the command deck opened, Optimus’s optics fell upon a glorious, if not battle ridden femme.  Her great hammer glistened with a sickly purple liquid, and her frame shook with fury as she continually scanned all of the decepticons around her. Her frantic optics finally fell upon Optimus’s frame, and a chaotic peace fell upon them as she immediately fell to her ruined knees before him.

“Oh mighty Primus, I beseech you! My brethren have been attacked, I beg of you,” Solus’s optics stared into Optimus’s pleadingly, “Help us great creator!”


	14. Solus Prime

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So i finally finished Descent.. tears and such... Here we go to build this story once more. I hope you all enjoy! Sorry for any errors, it is late and I am sleepy! Yawwwwn! Thank you to all that have only read this story, and their patience therein, for all the rest of you guys.... AHHHH Back to this STUFF!

Optimus stared at the femme confused; Solus evidently spoke the same language that he had awoken with. The former Prime also realized he felt a similar connection to her as he had the hulking dark mech that had injured him so grievously, and that made him more than wary.

He looked towards Megatron; the silver mech was glaring at the femme darkly. **/Megatron, could you interpret for me please?/**

Megatron looked over at him, his optics suddenly exasperated, **/You want me to speak that wretched language… again? The accursed femme can easily upload English, or common Cybertronian./**

Solus Prime looked between the two mechs, her optics narrowing, “Did you not hear me? My BRETHERN are under attack from Megatronus! As we SPEAK! I have had to fight very hard to make it here, and you choose to just IGNORE ME!?”

Megatron growled, “Off frag femme! Injured Optimus’s jaw Fallen! Can’t speak he!”

Solus stood, her frame shaking with fury, “Is that how you address your Primes you FILTH! Show some RESPECT!”

Megatron rolled his optics, “My Prime are not you. Femme just invading ship irritating.”

Optimus frowned at the two of them, his jaw aching with the effort. **/Megatron, please do not goad the Prime. She obviously is taking offense, and has to say something that may be important./**

Megatron glared at the former prime, “She invades my ship, demands your presence, is impatient and rude, and then demands my respect? I am merely treating her with the same level of decency that she has shown.”

Optimus vented as tiredly, / **Please be the bigger mech Megatron, lead by example, not spite./**

The silver mech grunted as he shook his helm, “More of the Prime is still in you than I thought… FINE Optimus, we shall try your way.” He turned towards the raging femme, “Apologies. You want do what?”

She glared at him before turning to Optimus, “Him. He needs to come with me. Megatronus is decimating the ancient Primes, he has sworn revenge on us all, and Alpha Trion and I believe he plans to remake Cybertron in his own image! That he plans to awaken it, and use the well to create his own army. An army that would be just as sick, and twisted as he is. An army to go from planet, to planet claiming them all for his empire. He has tainted the Matrix, and is far more powerful now. I…” The femme’s optics began to glisten with coolant, “I do not know how long my fellow Primes can last. Prima… Prima was the first to fall, and without Primus… or a part of him… he will remain lost forever. The others may be soon to follow.”

Optimus stared at the femme, his optics growing wide, **_What could I possibly have to do with all of this?_**

Megatron growled deeply, “What does that have to do with Optimus? Arrrgh frag it…” The silver mech changed back to the ancient language, “Prime Optimus not. He help no power has?”

Solus snarled at the silver mech, “ _That_ , is none of your concern _Monster_. If it weren’t for you Primus would still EXIST, and we wouldn’t be in this predicament in the first place!”

Megatron advanced on the smaller femme, his shaking frame towering over her as the two bots glared at one another, “Stays he. No power, help no!”

“I will be taking him filth! He…”

“No.” Optimus grated out, forcing his newly mended jaw to move.

Both Solus and Megatron looked at him, Solus looking shocked by his word, and Megatron smug.

Ratchet moved to his side, “Optimus, don’t talk! What is going on, I don’t understand what she is saying.”

“Solus Prime, taking Optimus.” Soundwave’s voice startled them all.

Megatron looked at his second in command, “You can understand her Soundwave?”

“Affirmative, Lord Megatron.” Soundwave nodded slowly.

“Frag it Soundwave, why didn’t you mention this earlier!? Are you fluent?” Megatron asked as he vented in frustration.

“Affirmative, files discovered, downloaded.” The darker mech stated as he moved forwards.

Solus walked slowly up to Optimus, “You… you must come with me Optimus! You have to! This, this is what you were made for! This is the whole reason for YOUR EXISTENCE!”

Megatron felt his spark freeze within him. So much of this echoed with memories of the past, when Orion was constantly told of his higher path, his higher purpose. Yet, he had fulfilled Primus’s wretched PATH! He had become the plaything Primus had needed! He had DONE HIS TIME!

Optimus felt Megatron’s field crackle dangerously, rage filling the silver mech. He looked over at the other mech, **_I am still so lost. Does Megatron know something about all of this? Is it true? I am no Prime now, even if I was, this Megatronus is destroying the ancients! How could I, just one bot, truly make a difference?_**

 **/Megatron, I do not understand. Why does she think I can help them?/** Optimus asked through their bond.

“YOU CAN’T! That is just it! You did your PATH! Had your run with DESTINY when you became a PRIME! Now the Matrix is gone! You no longer possess its power! You are just a simple mech like the rest of US!” Megatron’s vents were rapid as he stomped up to Solus once more. “Not taking you’re Optimus! MINE!”

Solus stared at the mechs around her, “Fine, I do not have time for this; I shall take you the hard way then.” She immediately turned, bringing her huge hammer up and out as she slammed it into Megatron’s chassis!

The silver mech grunted as he was thrown across the command deck, his frame only stopping as it slammed into one of the large holovids at the back of the room. Glass and electronics shattered around the groaning mech as the wounds on his back reopened.

Optimus watched as his bonded crashed away from him, and his spark was suddenly on fire! He roared as he threw himself at the femme, throwing his fist into her faceplates with all the rage he held!  She screamed as she too flew back, landing in the middle of the runway, her frame screeching, sparking, as it slid.

He ran after her frame, watching her lift her servo, and a burst of power erupted from it. The force threw Optimus back, his frame crashing down onto his back plates as she picked herself up, jumping onto his chassis.

“ORION!” Ratchet screamed as he began to run towards the two.

Optimus turned his aching helm towards the Prime just to watch as her pede swung back, and painfully slammed into his jaw as she kicked him!

“Arrrrgggghhh…” White hot fire overtook his helm instantly, his tanks rolling from the amount of pain he was in. His frame went limp as he bordered on stasis lock.

Solus reached down; gripping the moaning mech’s chest plates, “Time to awaken Lord, our planet…. Our creations need you!” She pulled his chest plates open roughly, her servo immediately tearing into his spark chamber as she gripped his spark.

Optimus bellowed wretchedly, his back arching off the floor as his servos flew to her arm. His digits gripped her limb tightly, crushing it as he tried to dislodge her servo from his spark chamber.

Suddenly there was a boom, and Solus fell forward. Her terrible servo finaly letting go of the spark it held as she landed hard on the floor at Optimus’s helm. 

Optimus stared as he became slightly aware of the mech called Soundwave jumping on the femme, throwing her hammer away as he pummeled his fists into her helm over, and over. When she finally fell limp, from her previous damage and the attacks she received here, the darker mech released his strange long cables from his chassis, and secured her unconscious frame.

Megatron vented harshly, his cannon steaming as he approached Optimus and Soundwave. “Ratchet, lock the wench into STASIS! You mechs… secure her BELOW! Wrap every chain we have around her WRETCHED FRAME! If she escapes I will PERSONALLY rip ALL OF YOUR SPARKS OUT!”

Four vehicons stepped forwards as they bowed and took Solus from Soundwave. Ratchet followed the group looking back at Megatron, “I will be back to check on him, take Orion to the med bay and wait for me?” He turned then, making his way to the med bay to put the raging Prime in stasis.

Megatron was surprised at Ratchet’s choice of designation when he heard Optimus groan. He moved forward, kneeling next to the former Prime. He smiled grimly, “May I close your chest plates Ori… Optimus?”

The former Prime nodded weakly, his frame limp and pain ridden, **/What was she… she grabbed my spark… I don’t understand…/**

Megatron nodded as he closed the other’s chest plates, he wanted to check on the spark within but didn’t like the idea of Optimus being on display in the middle of the command deck.

“I do not understand either, not _yet_ anyways,” Megatron growled out. His servo rubbed his chest plates unconsciously.

When the rotten Prime had wrapped her servo around Optimus’s spark, it had felt like his own would burst from the pressure, he could only imagine how it felt on Optimus’s side of the bond. Never, _ever_ had he experienced another mech grabbing onto his spark!  He had never even seen that kind of torture! In all the vorns he had existed, through being a gladiator to a warlord, he had never seen any bot have the sick audacity to do so. **_What the frag kind of Primes are up there anyways!? They should be killed off if this is how they treat us!_**

Optimus’s helm lolled to the side, his optics flickering in exhaustion and pain. Megatron could see trails of energon coming from his fresh welds that outlined the former Prime’s jaw, and he gritted his denta. He carefully slipped his servos under the smaller mech’s frame, and lifted him gently.

“That wretched femme ripped through some of your welds, I am going to take you to the med bay Optimus.” Megatron said softly, his helm lifting towards Soundwave’s silent form. “Soundwave, I want you to…” The warlord was interrupted as one of the consoles in the room began to beep loudly…. someone was hailing their ship.

“UHHHHHHG! What NOW!?” Megatron growled as Soundwave made his way to the computer.

“Autobot base hails, Lord Megatron.

“OF COURSE THEY DO! ARRRRRRGH! FINE, see what the FOOLS want! I am taking Optimus to the med bay. The last thing we need is for them to see Optimus falling into stasis in my FRAGGIN ARMS!” The silver mech spun towards the doors, and strode out angrily.

Soundwave tilted his helm curiously at his Lord before answering the hail. The screen in front of him crackled with static for a moment before a dented, and very angry looking Arcee appeared on the screen.

“Where is Ratchet, and Optimus!? It has been more than enough time! I want proof they still function!” Her voice was even, but very dark.

Soundwave looked at the irritated femme, “Occupied.” He said simply.

The little bot gritted her denta so loudly it was picked up by her speakers. “You have twenty kliks to find them, or the truce is void, and we start blowing things apart.”

Soundwave tilted his helm slightly, “Understood.” He shut off the transmission.

The dark mech turned and began to make his way to the med bay; he figured he would deliver the message personally, given its nature. He wasn’t intimidated by the threat, but he knew with Lord Megatron being in the mood he was, the silver mech may just say frag it, and blow the foolish Autobots away. Soundwave would have to be his voice of reason then, making sure his lord would not ruin their truce, inciting rage in the medic Ratchet, and alarm in Optimus.

Soundwave vented deeply at the thought of the red and blue mech. He had all but avoided Optimus since he came aboard. Apparently the former Prime had forgotten _everything_ this time, and his only true connection was through his newly reconnected bond to Lord Megatron.

Soundwave reached the door to the med bay; he vented deeply, his covered optics shuttering as he forced himself into the apathy that defined him. **_Everything is fleeting, and hope is meaningless._**

He repeated his mantra as he entered the med bay…  just to find Megatron wasn’t there!  Optimus sat hunched on the berth…. his helm hung from his shoulders. It hung heavy with exhaustion until he lifted it, his brilliant blue optics peering at the smaller mech.

Soundwave froze, his optics growing large as… for the first time in eons, he saw Orion flickering within the red and blue mech.

Optimus’s optics narrowed in concern as Megatron’s second in command suddenly grabbed at his chest plates, his chassis bending as if in pain. **:Are you well Soundwave?:**

Soundwave hadn’t realized Megatron had given Ori.. Optimus his comm number!

**_Primus, I almost called him ORION!?_ **

“Af… Affirmative.” He backed out of the med bay; his spark racing like it hadn’t in so long. He was TERRIFIED!

Suddenly his back smacked into something, and he spun to find Lord Megatron looking at him curiously. “Soundwave, are you alright.”

The dark mech shook his helm, the distraction of his Lord helping him clear his processor, “Autobots require proof of spark.”

Megatron continued to watch the smaller mech, his optics going from Soundwave to Optimus, “Of course they do. Very well, I will have Ratchet contact the idiots immediately, before they blow something to slag.”

“Understood Lord Megatron.” With that Soundwave left the med bay quickly, leaving the two mechs staring after him.

 **/Did I do something to hurt him once?/** Optimus asked, even the voice in Megatron’s helm sounded sad.

The silver mech frowned, “Soundwave’s tale is his to tell if he chooses to. He is a, reserved mech… yet he wasn’t always that way…” The warlord smiled sadly as he turned his helm to Optimus. “Optimus I think we are going to have to bring the Autobots aboard at some point. They are a jumpy group, and having you and Ratchet here may make them… foolish. You were their Prime after all, their leader once.”

Optimus’s optics widened at that. After the mess with Solus, he had forgotten about the chaos he was facing here, and within himself. He groaned miserably, **_I was their leader? Megatron did mention something about family… There is so much going on, and yet I just learned my designation breems ago… How will I ever keep up?_**

Megatron smiled gently, “Lay down Optimus. Ratchet might be a bit.” The silver mech went ahead and commed the medic as he watched the former Prime lay back gingerly.

Optimus vented dejectedly, his processor spinning even as his frame felt numb around him. His spark still ached though from Solus’s grasp. **_She said it was time to awaken? She called me her Lord? The Primes are being pulled apart? I am the leader of the Autobots? Megatron is my BONDED? I was a PRIME? Megatronus has the MATRIX!? I CAN’T REMEMBER ANYTHING, OR ANY MECH!? I AM SO LOST!_**

Optimus put his servo over his optics, as if he could ease the storm with just a touch. Suddenly he felt a light servo rub the top of his helm and he moved his own away from his optics. His optics peered up to see Megatron standing over him.

The silver mech smiled sadly at the mech below him. Optimus’s optics held a storm of confusion, and all he could see in that moment was his Orion. Lost, scared, overwhelmed by what this wretched existence required of him once again…

He looked so… vulnerable.  It was a strange look to witness on the faceplates of his longtime nemesis. He had never seen it with the Prime, no, he had always looked stoic, decisive, sure looking… even when he wasn’t truly.

“We shall figure this out Ori… Optimus.” Megatron corrected himself once more.

Optimus’s optical ridge lowered in thought, **/I do not mind if you call me Orion, Megatron./**

For a moment Megatron felt dizzy with the prospect, to have his mate’s designation on his lips now, and hopefully forever more when it came to Optimus… In a way it seemed a dream come true! How often had he screamed his lover’s name at night? Wishing he could call for him once more, and have him answer…

He smiled softly, “No Optimus. My Orion died long ago… as did my Megatronus. Those were terrible, tragic deaths that I have come to realize… I need to lay to rest, _without_ resentment now, and always. You are every bit Optimus, as Orion now, and I think… you are beautiful this way.”

Optimus stared into the silver mech’s optics, the storm in his processor, his spark … easing as something else took over. Something he couldn’t remember, but felt so deeply imprinted within him he wouldn’t be able to deny it even if he wanted to.

**/I… I think I love you Megatron./**

The silver mech’s optics widened as his spark froze. Yes, he had heard the words from young Orion, and from Optimus, but to earn it from them collectively…. As they lay before him whole… The idea filled his spark with light… light that he had not basked in in so very, very long…

“Uuuuunnnn…” Megatron suddenly grabbed his processor, memories fleeting through it at a blinding pace.

Memories of when he had first confessed to Orion that the little mech was his light after his escape from his torture, when they had bonded the first time. When he would hold Orion after his night terrors, and episodes. He thought of when Orion had forgiven him after he left without a word, when they had made love, and when… when that light had been ripped so violently from his life.

 **/Megatron, are you alright?/** Optimus picked his chassis up, staring as the silver mech groaned, his frame stumbling backwards. His optics were open and blazing, but they were lost in a world all their own. His venting had become so rapid that his systems couldn’t keep up, and his vision began to swim.

Optimus’s optics widened ever more, **/MEGATRON! Calm down… _please_ , I am sorry!/**

Optimus immediately commed Ratchet, **:Ratchet! Something is wrong with Megatron he..:**

Suddenly the silver mech SCREAMED! His servos holding his helm so roughly his digits threatened to bend his plating. He stumbled back, falling across the floor of the med bay as his giant frame curled into itself.

 **:He just COLLAPSED! Hurry… PLEASE!!!:** Optimus finished his comm as he picked up his aching frame. He walked over to the curled, shaking mech. ** _Primus, what have I done to this mech?_** Coolant dripped from Optimus’s optics as he knelt gently next to the silver mech.

 **/Megatron please. I apologize, I… I never meant to… to hurt you! /** Optimus was afraid to touch the silver mech.

Suddenly Soundwave appeared in the doorway, his masked helm taking in what was before him before he strode towards the two mechs. His long legs bent gracefully as he knelt next to his Lord.

Optimus looked towards the other mech, his optics gleaming with coolant, : **Forgive me, I am responsible for this.:**

The darker mech tilted his helm slightly before turning back to his leader. He extended one of his tendrils, opening its tip before he attached the limb to the back of Megatron’s helm. With a distinctive click the tendril locked into his leader’s processor.

Optimus watched as Soundwave’s mask showed readings of some sort for a moment before going black once more, hiding whatever information he was either collecting, or giving. Finally the silver mech’s trembling eased, and his optics shuttered as he fell into stasis.

Soundwave stood, his arms and tendril wrapping around his Lord as he began picking up the larger mech. Optimus, seeing what the smaller bot was trying to accomplish, immediately rushed forward! His larger frame, though weak, made the job far easier, and the two mechs carried Megatron to a berth. They laid his inert frame down gently and stepped back.

Optimus watched the larger mech’s systems return to normal slowly, his optics clouded in guilt. **_I have no right to do this to him… Yes I ‘was’ his mate… but that was long ago. Who am I to do this to his spark. He loved Orion so much he started a war for him… What was I thinking…?_**

Soundwave looked over to the former Prime; he looked miserable, lost, and guilt ridden. “Optimus’s accountability for situation is null, and false. Megatron’s processor remains glitched.” The darker mech looked at his leader, “Longstanding damage.”

Optimus vented angrily, **:So… perhaps I did not do the damage today, but it is my fault regardless.:** He turned, and made his way back to his berth. He sat down, his frame and spark exhausted, and worn, **:Just what kind of mech was I Soundwave? I seem to be the cause of tears, fights, breakdowns… Primus… and now I have the ancient Primes descending from above, eager for my spark…:**

Suddenly Optimus’s optics grew clear once more, albeit still sorrowful, and Soundwave watched the old Prime filter through. **:Ignore my musings friend. I am rambling. Forgive me.:**

Soundwave stood there, his mask tilted downwards even as his optics stayed upon Optimus. It was so very strange to see the mixture of both Optimus Prime, and Orion Pax. Both mechs had suffered such darkness in their past, and yet brought so much light to many through it all. Even though _this_ Optimus may not remember any of his journeys, he had to suffer through the scars, and glory, that his beautifully tragic life had imprinted upon the mechs that surrounded him.

“The brightest lights cast the darkest shadows Optimus.” Soundwave’s monotone voice said quietly as he turned, making his way to the med bay doors. He paused in the doorway, “Your light outshined all, through Orion, and Optimus…”

As the darker mech left Optimus stared after him, his spark reeling from the darker mech’s words. He laid himself down once more, Soundwave’s words playing over, and over through his processor.

He turned his helm, looking at the silver mech beside him; **_Just how many of my shadows have you become lost in Megatron?_** Optimus vented deeply, forcing his aching optics to shutter, willing recharge to overtake his tired mind.

As he fell into recharge finally, Optimus found himself humming a sad melody of a song he wasn’t aware he knew. Instead of focusing to find the words, he allowed himself to fall into the bliss of the rhythm and slowly… the words filtered through…

“Close your optics little mech,

Imagine the sky above.

They say it has such colors there,

That all the mechs do love…”

…………………………

The Fallen watched as Vector’s dead frame slid from his blade.

  ** _Another filth ridden Prime down._**

He smiled viciously, his glossa licking his lips at the scent of his brethren’s energon.

He raised his black optics, setting them on his next victim… Alpha Trion.

The bearded mech stood not too far from the monstrous Prime, his frame bleeding energon as he vented deeply in the cold air.

“Where did you send her brother? Where is my love, WHERE IS SOLUS!?” Megatronus roared as he walked towards the smaller mech, his pede steps shaking the chamber floor.

“Away Megatronus, away from your darkness, and away from your pain. Leave her be! Have you not hurt her enough already?” Alpha Trion raised his blade, his weakened servos shaking with the effort.

 “Brother, you are said to be the wisest of us all, and yet here you stand a FOOL! I will get the answers I seek, either by you telling me, or by ripping the information right out of your PROCESSOR!” The demonic Prime roared as he lunged!

Alpha Trion lifted his blade, catching his brother’s at the last moment. He struggled to keep his blade straight as Megatronus pushed against him. Trion was the last of the Primes left beyond Solus, and he hoped she had made it to Earth in time. Everything depended on her mission now! He would have gone himself but he knew… Megatronus would leave her for last, and hopefully, be more hesitant to kill her at all, especially after last time.

Megatronus kicked out, his pede catching the weakened Prime’s knee and the old mech fell sideways for a step. It was all the Fallen needed as he pulled his blade to the left before bringing it towards his brother’s open side.

Trion gasped as the sword found its purchase within him, digging deep between his side plating before it was ripped back once more. Energon and metal followed the cruel blade’s path, and Trion felt himself fall to the chamber’s floor.

The older mech’s optics flickered as he looked up to his brother; he knew he was done for. With that realization the bearded mech shuttered his optics for just a moment, **_Oh Orion, I hope you are prepared for what is to come… I have done my best young one._**

Megatronus laughed wickedly as he stared down at the dying Prime until he noticed Trion’s optics begin to flicker oddly. It looked almost as if he were…

“NOOOO!” The monstrous mech bent down quickly, ripping into Trion’s helm as he began to pull hard. “I will not let you destroy what I want!” He roared as finally the old mech’s helm was ripped brutally from its frame, and he lifted the ghastly prize high.

He leveled his brother’s optics with his own as he began his scan, desperately hoping the wretched fool hadn’t corrupted all of the memory files before he died.

He searched patiently, combing through each file that remained, and deciphered each code on those that were locked. Considering Trion had been alive since the beginning almost… he knew it would be a long and arduous search. The god-like mech settled down, sitting peacefully within the blood of his destroyed brethren as he searched.

He had yet to find any information regarding his love’s location yet on one of the older withered paths he found a particular file that had to do with the mech once known as Orion Pax. The mech who later awoke within his Prime identity of Optimus. It seemed Alpha Trion had known the youngest Prime far longer than Megatronus had ever realized…

Another file, that he had to unlock, held images of Orion Pax as a sparkling, another of the young mech studying, another of him choosing his alt-mode with the help of his bearded mentor.

**_You certainly seemed obsessed with this Orion Pax brother. Is it because you knew he was the last Prime all along or… something else?_ **

The demonic mech began to search deeper for all of the information on Orion Pax he could, his suspicions growing. There were only a few files to readily look through; Alpha Trion had seemingly been trying to erase them first and foremost, after Solus’s destination of course.

Growling in frustration as the kliks turned to breems, and the breems turned to a solar-cycle, and ever more breems following… Megatronus finally discovered a random image of Orion’s spark.

It was probably long forgotten as it seemed to be filed feely, and was openly available for all yet… it made the Fallen’s optics widen is awe,  his spark suddenly thundering within his chassis. He studied the young Prime’s spark, his smile growing wickedly as his processor spun with possibilities. Suddenly he knew exactly where his love had disappeared to, and why!

Laughing the hulking mech stood; throwing his brother’s helm aside as he created a portal beside him.

**_Oh Optimus, I had been so foolishly focused on the Matrix I did not see what you truly were… I shall remedy that soon young one. I shall not only obtain my love, but the key to all of my dreams when I find you…_ **


	15. Destiny Calls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry i haven't answered the messages from last chapter, which were so awesome THANK YOU! My house FLOODED! Yay! So been busy with that fun stuff... nothing too ruined though. Ok here is this chapter, hope it doesn't have too many errors. I will go through it more finely tonight once I finish with all the wetness! I just wanted it out there cause AHHHHH! I have been waiting for it for awhile! Hope I did it justice! Ok, back to my new indoor pool!

Megatron’s optics came online, his helm aching terribly. He looked around himself, finding himself in the Nemesis’s med bay. **_What happened? Why am I on a berth?_**

He suddenly spied Optimus Prime lying on a berth next to him, and his spark froze. He immediately pushed himself up, bringing his cannon forward as he stared down at the unconscious mech!

“MY LORD STOP!” Knockout’s voice broke through his sudden frenzy, and he growled at the medic.

“WHAT IS OPTIMUS DOING … doing… Primus…” Megatron grabbed at his helm as the last few days ran through his processor. **_What is wrong with me? I almost killed him!?_**

Knockout walked over to his Lord, his optics wide, “Uhhh, that was close…” He laughed nervously, his optics scanning over his leader worriedly.

Megatron growled deeper, “Instinct. What happened Knockout? Episode?”

“Seems so my Lord. Soundwave was quick to remedy the issue though. Would you like me to comm him?”

“No, I shall find him on my own.” He strode over to the recharging mech in front of him. He could see Ratchet must have re-welded the former Prime’s jaw once more, and his own recovery systems made quick work of the medic’s skilled welds. “How long was I in stasis?” The warlord asked realizing Optimus’s wounds had healed a little too well for just one night of recharge.

“Uhhh…two solar-cycles Lord Megatron.” Knockout said uneasily, he knew Megatron hated when his… ‘episodes’ would take days from him.

“Arrrrrgh, wonderful. I have things to deal with, has Optimus been recharging the entire time as well?”

“Yes. Seems the chaos has crept up on the both of you my Lord.”

Megatron nodded as he made his way towards the med bay doors, “Keep, and optic on him Knockout.”

“Of course my Lord.” The red mech bowed as his leader left. Knockout turned back to Optimus’s unconscious form. **_Megatron and Optimus… will wonders never cease._**

**_………………………_ **

Megatron made his way to the command deck, his processor running wildly. As he entered his troops all bowed and he nodded at them grimly.

“Soundwave, I require your assistance, it is time for us to wake that wretched femme. I need that language card as well.” Megatron said stiffly as he watched the black and blue mech turn towards him, grabbing a small card nearby, before moving to follow him.

They made their way down to the lower cell block slowly, Megatron uploading the strange language card as they walked.

Megatron vented once the upload was complete, his processor running with dark thoughts, “Did Optimus see?”

Soundwave tilted his helm towards his leader as they walked, “Affirmative.”

Megatron hummed thoughtfully, his faceplates neutral, “His reaction?”

“Guilt,” the darker mech said quietly.

Megatron stopped, the hall they were in was empty and dimly lit, his red optics blazing in its darkness, “I almost shot him when I awoke. If Knockout hadn’t stopped me…”

Soundwave stopped as well, and he turned fully towards the silver mech, “Understandable Lord Megatron. Blame is irrational. Precautions necessary?”

Megatron looked at the smaller mech, “What if we are too destroyed by it all Soundwave? What if we have changed far too much? What will I need to do, avoid him during recharge, or if he _smiles_ at me the wrong way!? He said he loved me Soundwave, and I was on my back plates for TWO SOLAR-CYCLES! Two solar-cycles with a rouge Prime on my ship, and the Fallen being a wretched threat AND _of course_ , ORION IS IN THE CENTER OF IT ALL!”

The larger mech grabbed at his helm, his vents rapid, “I am so very tired Soundwave… I am so very, very tired.” The larger mech leaned against the hall’s wall, his helm bent low. “I can’t lose him again. I can’t. The first bond break between him, and… It almost off-lined me, yet I had _revenge_ then to keep me going. A Prime to kill, and a world to burn! Then, after Unicron, Optimus calls me Megatronus for the first time since… the day of the senate! I had no idea until then, that Orion still resided within the Prime! Ratchet tried to tell me… he tried… I was just so… SO…”

“Shattered,” Soundwave’s voice dropped low as he answered.

“ _Shattered_ is putting it _nicely_ Soundwave.” Megatron hissed out, his denta gritting painfully together. The large mech vented deeply, easing his whirling fans. He raised his helm to his oldest friend, “You have avoided him.”

Soundwave’s masked helm stared straight ahead, “Affirmative.”

Megatron smiled sadly, “I will not question your choices my friend. I will say you aroused his suspicions the other day. It seems he feel guilty for more than just my reactions.”

Soundwave nodded, “Affirmative. Numerous. His light carries life, and destruction.”

Megatron nodded slowly, “Let us find out just what else this wretched existence demands from the mech we both love.” Soundwave flinched at his leader’s words but he too moved forward.  

Feeling his spark begin to spin he repeated his mantra, **_Everything is fleeting, and hope is meaningless, Everything is fleeting, and hope is meaningless…_**

The darker mech settled back into his bliss of apathy. His leader, his friend may be willing to hope for love once more, but he couldn’t. Not after everything he had lost.

Losing Orion, almost losing Megatron and… then being alone for so long afterwards.. He had continued a shell, more so than ever before… a robot. Merely pushing forwards to protect Megatron’s vulnerable frame, fulfill the promise he made to Orion’s memory.

Soundwave frowned as he thought of that long lonely vorn. How he would stay by his leader’s berthside, every night dutifully watching his readings, his energon flow… Striving to keep the silver mech going on even as, as he hoped his oldest, most trusted friend would just _die_. That his friend would die so that he could follow. So many nights that seemed a more alluring alternative to staring at machines, and Megatron’s inert frame.

A better alternative than always screaming yet, ever silent. Better than needing to recharge alone and cold, dreaming of EVERYTHING over, and OVER, AND OVER! Better than WAKING ALONE, just to begin his silent screams once more… No… No, he could not get close to anything, EVER again… never… well, at least to any true spark.

During those awful solar-cycles, as he sat in the med bay merely staring at his Lord’s flickering spark, he began to build. He wasn’t sure what he was creating at first, it had started as something to distract him from the agony in his spark, the nightmares in his processor.

Slowly it began to grow from a habit to an obsession. He would acquire parts for his project from any of the cities they began to destroy, giving his creation the best parts he could find. Until one unassuming day, it was complete.

He had marveled at what had come from his imagination, his desperation that day, but something was still missing… life. So one night he did not watch over his Lord’s dying frame, and he made his way to the little hut hidden away from the main base. He knelt within it with his the little creation, his optics closed as he reached into his own spark, and gave a piece of his very existence to the little creature. He filled that portion of his spark with as much love, honor, duty, strength, bravery, loyalty, he could.  He gave it the best of him what… Orion had given him, once upon a time.

Soundwave’s servo pet his creation absentmindedly as he thought of that night, the night Laserbeak onlined his little optics for the first time. The night Soundwave didn’t feel so wretchedly _alone,_ and terribly splintered since the day of the senate. The night his screaming stopped.

He loved Laserbeak deeply, yet in truth he was merely an altered piece of him… to allow another true spark in after all of that… to allow that weakness in once more… no.

**_Everything is fleeting, and hope is meaningless…_ **

………………………..

Solus Prime hung miserably in the center of her cell. Had she not been so terribly sore, and fuming, she may have laughed at the amount of chains, and stasis cuffs the filthy Decepticons had put on her. **_Well, at least they respect my strength… if nothing else._**

Her optics narrowed as she thought of how terribly things had gone when she arrived, and how it was all the idiotic simpleton’s FAULT! She gritted her denta, and her frame shook with her rage! How far had Cybertronian’s fallen!? Once they were a great race, strong, honorable, NOBLE as the Primes that led them! Perhaps Optimus was as wretched of a Prime as Prima thought!? **_And now we need him to save us all from the chaos HE set FREE!_**

Suddenly a door at opened from the left end of the hall, and she narrowed her optics as she heard Megatron’s sickening voice right before she beheld his hulking silver visage between her cage’s bars.

“Solus, good to see you’re awake.” The silver mech said fluently in her ancient language. His voice was light even as his optics stared daggers at her.

“I will not speak to you filth, where is that sad excuse of a Prime!? Off hiding from his duties once more!?” She growled out.

Megatron clenched his fists, “Optimus is resting. You have only me to speak with, and if your information and TIME is so dire, I suggest you get over your pride and do so.”

“That is something coming from a demon like you Megatron, formally known as Megatronus. A fitting designation monster, I should know.” She said the last part bitterly, her optics flickering slightly.

Megatron vented, willing himself to remain calm, for Optimus’s sake at least, “What do you want from Optimus?”

“I want him to perform his duties to his PLANET! HIS CITIZENS!”

Megatron glared at her, “My apologies great Prime, but through my long existence the only Prime I _have_ seen preforming any duties to those of Cybertron _has_ been Optimus. From when he was Orion, till when you and our filthy deity made him a Prime. Where the frag have all of the rest of you been? Or Primus for that matter?”

Solus laughed, “You ignorant creation! Primus sent Optimus for that purpose. AND Optimus, or Orion, has always held primacy within him. He is the thirteenth, Great Primus’s final Prime. The Matrix merely helped awaken that within him. Did Alpha Trion not get the chance to tell you of this before YOU destroyed the PLANET!?”

Megatron tilted his helm, “So it is true the old mech was a Prime all along…”

Solus laughed once more, “See how ignorant you are creation. Now get Optimus, I will speak with him, and only him!”

Megatron growled, he was quickly losing his temper, “You do not find yourself in a position to demand scrap femme. What do you need Orion FOR!?”

“Oh you remind me of him in so many ways, prideful, arrogant, cruel, yes my love’s designation fits you well.” She sneered out.

“Love?” Megatron asked, his optical ridge lifting high.

Solus’s optics widened for a moment, her spark hammering in her chassis. She hadn’t called Megatronus that in so long, why would she now!? He was up there destroying their brethren, planning on taking over worlds, and set on corrupting the Universe with his chaos, and she calls him her love!? To Megatron no less!?

She growled darky, “Once love. Once… before he killed me, and became the monster he is now.”

Megatron studied her carefully, his optics softening as the kliks passed, and her frame began to tremble, “I understand why you hate us so.”

The chained femme snarled at him, “WHAT!? Speak up monster!”

Megatron smiled sadly, “I know why you hate Optimus and myself so much. We remind you of your story. We mirror your love’s failure, and yours.”

Solus’s spark froze, her optics bulging as she stared at the silent silver mech.

Megatron’s dermas frowned thoughtfully as he paced before the cage, “Or, at least I see the similarities. Let me guess, you both started with hope, love, light. He made you feel something you have never felt before. Made you hold a love you never knew existed, and very few get to experience. The kind where you give everything you are to them. That frightening, vulnerable love that leaves you shaking with terror, and awe. You looked into each other’s optics and the world disappeared, and you were safe there, you were home. A home that no building, no destination could ever compare to. For they carry that home within them, and without them… you are homeless, and lost. Especially… if it was you that ruined it all… if you hurt them, and took it all away.”

Megatron looked at his servos, his spark raging in his chassis, “Optimus… Orion was that for me at least… and, and how did I repay him in the end? Rage, fire, destruction. So many times Orion asked me to hold myself back from violence, to be stronger than my demons… I fell in love with a mech that has had his destiny written long before he was created. I just wanted to give him what he gave me. Home, hope, dreams… and yet still his path, his DUTIES needed tending! Did your duties need tending as you were pulled from your love Solus!? Did you beg him to be better, stronger even as you were both forced into a destiny neither of you wanted!? Did you just want to love him, and him love you at some point!? Did you both cry out to Primus as you were torn asunder through his path! Did your love turn on the only thing that has ever made him WHOLE, DID YOU!? And if you did… WAS IT NOT WITHOUT THE FILTHY INFLUENCE OF OTHERS!? Was it not a result of other’s CHAOS as well as your OWN FAULTS!?”

The hulking mech raised his helm, staring as the silent Prime. “I do not know if the Fallen is too far gone Solus, and I am sorry for you if he is. Pit, I will fight him with everything I have in me if he is, but, I ask, I beg mighty Prime… understand MY love. Understand that perhaps, unlike yours Optimus and I can learn from our failures, and TOGETHER we can face this threat as ONE. Perhaps our story does not need to end like yours… So please, please help me help my love… Be the force that unites us, strengthens our resolve against this force. Don’t just take him from me again… I beg you, not without answers, and not without a choice. At least, not without his choice… He has lost his memories of everything. He is lost, scared, and injured. Have some compassion Solus, and we will listen readily, I assure you of that. I… I will listen, and consider everything you have to say. I swear this, with all my spark.”

Solus was amazed as she felt coolant fall from her optics for the second time in eons. Her processor was running rampant within her.

She had never asked for this quest, it had been given to Alpha Trion quietly long ago, none of the Primes had known. It wasn’t until her… love, returned steaming, reformed, and with the tainted Matrix that Trion had sought her out. Her pulled her aside as the chamber shook with her love’s fury, and told her of the true path of Optimus Prime.

She had snapped at the older mech, laughed at him even, calling him mad as her hammer shook within her servos. Yet then he extended a small wire from his helm, and downloaded his truths into her processor.

She had been amazed then, why would Primus not trust any of his other Primes with this knowledge!? With this secret!? What made Trion so special?

Yet, she also knew, the other Primes had pulled back to the chamber long before they should have. Leaving their creations to their own devices, perhaps too soon.

After her death from Megatronus, and resurrection, Solus hid within the chamber. She justified it with her fears, and then… Primus allowed her wretched love to return!? In His ultimate light, her lover was forgiven for his crimes, and allowed to re-enter the chamber of the Primes!?

She had hidden deeper then, becoming a shell of what she once was with each century, until… Primus was destroyed. His destruction affected all of the Primes in the chamber… and as she was already so reserved, perhaps spiteful, she welcomed the pain, expected it.

Then came Optimus’s trial after he failed to end Megatron once more. The whole scene echoing in her own failures, and she remained silent as the then broken, crazed Prima spouted out his wretched plan. She watched stoically as Prima locked the youngest Prime into a cage, chained and gagged. He left him waiting to become a puppet, waiting to kill his love, and lose the innocence of Orion…  That was until the youngest Prime made a desperate deal with her old love to escape…  

Her optics lowered as she suddenly realized just how cruel that fate truly had been, and she marveled at how she had not seen it before, and found herself disgusted…

All the while, Optimus was… so much more than she, any of the other Prime’s could realize… ever had the interest, the decency to investigate as they became more, and more self-absorbed. Ignoring their creations, and dwelling only on their peace…

Solus looked at the broken, sad, silver mech before her and she realized... he was right. In Cybertron’s darkest hour there were no Primes there but Alpha Trion and…Optimus... Orion. The Primes had done nothing as the war waged, as Cybertron fell, and they placed all of their blame on these two mechs… Two mechs that had been punished, and broken by so many, and never had their prayers answered by any of the Primes that should have kept an optic on their charges…

“I… I am sorry Megatron. I have failed my creations far more than Optimus has. As I hid... he fought on…” She vented deeply, knowing that her brethren were probably destroyed at this point. She knew if… if she could just pull herself from her own cocoon, the one she had created after her death, she could help Optimus become what he was meant to be. Perhaps not as well as Trion could, but.. she was all there was for now.

Megatron looked at her, and she was stunned by the hope that glowed in his optics, and terribly ashamed at the same time. “Forgive me for my fears, for my pride… I am lost as well.” She stated quietly.

“I think we all are Solus, all trying to make sense of…” Suddenly the silver mech grabbed at his chest plates, and groaned as if in pain.

The darker mech grabbed his leader softly, righting his frame as Megatron whimpered, “Orion… he is terrified…” Megatron suddenly ran back the way he came, his servo holding his chest plates tightly.

Soundwave looked towards Solus, “Occupied.” Was all he said as he followed after his leader.

Solus watched them go, her frame aching… tired, and yet she couldn’t help but think, **_Perhaps they are better than us Megatronus… If only I did not have to take his love from him…_**

……………………………….

 

 Optimus awoke within the med bay, his helm instantly turning to his left just to find Megatron’s berth empty. He felt his spark sink as the memories from the last time he saw the mech filtered through.

He grunted as he pulled his frame to a sitting position, his optics falling to the sleeping red medic. He smiled slightly, his spark going out to the younger mech. **_Poor mech seems to live here…_**

He wiggled his jaw gently surprised to find it far more functional than it had been in so long. He planned on testing it once he left the med bay yet for now he quietly made his way from the med bay, careful not to wake poor Knockout.

Once he was out in the hall, he looked left and right, unsure where he should go that was until his tanks rumbled in his chassis, and a low fuel warning flashed in his HUD. His servo went to his chassis as he followed the blueprints Megatron had given him to the mess hall.

He opened and closed his jaw as he went, amazed at the lack of pain. **_Ratchet truly is a wonder of a medic… My Sire, and my team’s medical officer._**

Optimus frowned as he thought of the bots he had first seen when he came online. Given what he knew, mostly, of Megatron now, he felt bad for attacking the femme. Though, she did shoot an unarmed, kneeling mech, he would have to speak with her over honorable conduct.

He raised his helm when he heard some clanking coming from ahead of him. There were some vehicons working on lugging some supplies into a storage area. The little bots seemed to be struggling with the weight.

“Do you require assistance?” Optimus asked kindly, his voice slightly grating after so long without use.

The bots looked up at him gaping, their optics wide and unsure.

Optimus tried to keep his smile warm, and friendly as he gestured to the crates, “I truly do not mind.”

“Uhhh, kay,” one of the mechs said bravely, moving aside as Optimus bent an easily lifted both crate from the floor.

The two vehicons stared up at the former Prime, “Uhhh, they uh, go in the back, uhhh Sir. Thank you Sir, next to the frame parts.”

Optimus smiled, “I have this, you may go fuel if you wish.”

The bots looked at one another, “Ohhhkay. Thank you Sir.”

They smiled at him as they turned, and made their way the mess hall. Optimus smiled as he stepped into the storage room. He walked towards the back as he was told, looking for a space against the wall to place the crates. Once he found an open area he placed them down gently and turned, smiling as he brushed his servos clean, just to find a pile of old frames.

Optimus’s smile faded a little as his peered over the pile of parts, over the limbs, and pedes, struts, helms… and suddenly his vision flared brightly!

He stumbled forwards as his helm exploded in pain, and all he could see were dead frames, and fire! He raised his aching helm to find a city in flames; screams and explosions pierced his audials.

**_What!? What is this nightmare!?_ **

Suddenly he was back in the storage room, the terrible image gone as quickly as it had come. He vented rapidly as he stumbled out of the wretched room, his spark whirling inside of him as he held his helm. His servos shook as he tried to calm his systems.

 Once he had calmed a bit, he raised his helm, and his vision flared once more, “NOOO!”

He was dimly aware of his scream as he found himself in another battle field! Bombs were erupting around him! He turned to run but slammed into something he could not see and fell! A mech was calling his designation, and he franticly looked behind him just in time to witness the poor mech explode as he stepped on a mine! The bot’s frame was blown  high into the sky as his bottom half scattered across the sands beneath him!

Optimus knew as the bot landed, that the unfortunate mech felt all of it as he screamed, and screamed, wondering why he couldn’t feel his legs! He called to Optimus, begging for help but the red and blue mech could only stare in horror! He watched the mech’s optics dimmed slowly, his screams turning to moans until he fell silent, and grey.

“NOOOOOO!” Optimus screamed as he picked himself up, running towards the mech furious with himself for having frozen, yet well aware of how terrified he was. Once more he slammed into something unseen, and he heard his designation being called, not... not his Orion’s?

Optimus’s optics cleared, and he found himself on the floor of the Nemesis once more! He raised his aching helm to find Soundwave standing over him.

“Soundwave!” Optimus felt coolant pour from his optics as he lunged forward, his arms grasping around the smaller mech’s waist as he cried. He didn’t care how he looked, or sounded, for a moment Soundwave felt safe, and he needed that desperately!

“There WERE BOMBS! Dead frames! I saw a bot be blown APART! I froze Soundwave! I couldn’t… I didn’t know what to do! He _begged_ for my help, and I FROZE! Ohhhh, it was awful… I was awful!” Optimus shook as he clung onto the smaller mech, his servos biting into the other’s plating painfully.

Soundwave’s optics were huge as he watched the former Prime break down before him. He raised his helm to his Leader just to find Megatron watching his former enemy with stormy optics.

Soundwave didn’t know what to do! Why wasn’t Megatron handling this! **_I want no part of HIM! I want no part of THIS! I CAN’T!_**

Soundwave wanted to push the sobbing mech away from him! Get him to go to Megatron! WHERE HE BELONGED! Yet he surprised himself as he placed a timid servo upon the former Prime’s helm, rubbing it gently.

Optimus raised his helm, bringing his coolant filled optics to Soundwave, and once again the darker mech could only see Orion within them.

**_It seems his memories are not all hidden away… and poor Orion is now seeing through Optimus’s nightmares._ **

Optimus hung his helm as he calmed himself, Soundwave’s servo soothing his tremors. Optimus couldn’t help but lean into the familiar sensation, longing for the connection when suddenly, he realized what he was doing!

He pulled his frame away embarrassed, “Primus, forgive me Soundwave. I do not know what got into me.”

Soundwave immediately brought his servo back, stepping back for the embarrassed mech. “Understood.” Was all he said before he spun, and walked away.

Megatron frowned as Soundwave escaped down the hall, and disappeared. He turned his optics to the still kneeling red and blue mech. “Are you alright Optimus?”

The smaller mech nodded as he stood, “I am well Megatron, thank you. Seems like not all of my memories are missing. It merely… took me by surprise.”

The silver mech watched Optimus, very aware that the former Prime refused to look at him. “Optimus, you need not feel embarrassed about, well any of it.”

Optimus was proud of himself that he did not flinch at the words, “I was merely distraught, and taken unawares. Though I do feel guilty for scaring him off once more.” His grating voice lowered as he finished, his helm turning towards where Soundwave ran off to.

Megatron strode up to the smaller mech, “Optimus, you need to stop feeling guilty for everything.” The other mech nodded, but his optics looked noncommittal.

Megatron growled quietly, “Optimus, look at me?”

The smaller mech turned defiantly from him, “I told you Megatron I am well.” He began to walk towards the mess hall once more.

Megatron’s growl grew in volume, “Optimus, stop, and look at me.”

“I am not one of your subordinates Megatron. I do not need to follow your orders.” The former Prime snapped as he continued his path down the hall.

“That’s IT!” Megatron rushed at the smaller mech, quickly grabbing one of the other mech’s wrists before pushing him up against the wall. “You said you loved me Optimus, and now you cannot even look at me?”

That time Optimus did flinch as he kept his optics down, “I was wrong to do so.”

Megatron groaned frustration running through his frame, “I love you as well Optimus. I have told you this.”

Optimus vented deeply, his shoulders drooping, “I do not even know who you truly are, or who I am. It is not logical to say I can love anything Megatron. I am trying to save you from further agony. I saw what my love did to you in the end… I want no part in adding to that.”

The silver mech’s optics narrowed, “So that is it then? Nobly walk away to spare me the pain of losing you once more?”

Optimus finally looked up at him, his optics set and resolute, “Megatron, I cannot hurt you further.”

Megatron snarled, “I see Optimus, only my pain then, is what concerns you? What of your own? What do you want Optimus? How about you stop using your processor for a klik, and search your spark for what YOU TRULY want.”

“I want to do what I can to protect this planet, this species from destruction. As I do with ours and many others that may suffer from the Fallen.” He’s optics held less conviction, but his voice was steady.

The silver mech pushed him against the wall tighter, their chest plates touching lightly, “What do Y _ou_ really want Optimus?”

“I want.. to protect..” Optimus felt his spark begin to flutter under the former warlord’s gaze. He fought to keep his fans from clicking on as he cleared his vocalizer, “I desire to protect this universe from annihilation.”

Megatron smiled, his frame moving closer still, his helm moving within a vent of Optimus’s. “It that truly all you desire… my Prime?” His voice was low, and husky.

Optimus’s fans clicked on ,and he groaned brokenly. Embarrassed he immediately caught himself, a deep blush of blue crossing his faceplates.

Megatron smiled broader, “Tell me Optimus, is that all there is in this life for you? Tell me, honestly, and I will leave you be, but you had better make sure I believe you.” The silver mech spoke quietly, his optics burning into Optimus’s.

“I.. I..” Optimus started, his spark desperately reaching for its bonded, his frame burning against the cool wall.

“Tell me my love, is that All. You. Desire?” Megatron’s hips brushed against the smaller mech’s and Optimus growled.

“ARRRRGH MEGATRON!” He grabbed the silver mech fiercely as he suddenly flipped their positions, his frame now pushing Megatron into the wall as he pressed his dermas hard against the silver mech’s.

Megatron moaned raggedly as he opened his intake allowing Optimus’s glossa to slid in, licking and tasting him greedily. The silver mech was amazed at Optimus’s dominate side, groaning as he was held tightly to the wall, his mouth ravaged by the former… or perhaps not so former… Prime.

Optimus suddenly grated his hips against Megatron’s, and both mechs groaned savagely. Megatron growled as he threw his arms around Optimus’s shoulders, bending his back plates to rub his hips against his mate’s, his helm falling back.

Optimus brought his mouth to Megatron’s neck cables, his glossa slipping out as he licked, and nipped at the offering.

The red and blue mech slid one of his servos down the other’s chassis, his digits sliding along each plate, and between each seam.

“Megatron, I want you. Please. I need you!” Optimus’s voice was gruff, and filled with desire as he tucked his helm into the crook of the silver mech’s neck.

To hear the Prime’s voice begging for him, Megatron felt his spark burn within his chassis. “Uhhh, Optimus, I won’t make it to my berthroom.” Megatron grunted as Optimus’s digits finally made their way to his interface panels. He rubbed the plates roughly, Megatron’s leaking juices making his servo slick.

“Unnnn, here then!” Optimus groaned as he bent slightly, his wet servo lifting the former warlord’s left leg as he ground their hips together.

Megatron found it hard to think as he finally filtered through what Optimus had suggested, “Here? Optimus, we are in a…”

“Open for me Megatron, please!?” Optimus bit at his neck roughly, and Megatron cried out.

**_Optimus wants to take me right here!? Right where any mech could see!?_ **

Optimus opened his spike panel, yet brought his optics up to Megatron’s wide ones, “Uuugh, I, we don’t need to do this Megatron… I, uhhh, I don’t know what has gotten in to me today. I just..” He rubbed his massive spike along Megatron’s chassis. “I want to be in you my love.”

Megatron gaped at the Prime, his optics falling to Optimus’s huge spike. Orion had always been well endowed for a smaller mech but Optimus… was _so_ much bigger. The silver mech felt his spark tremble in trepidation, and lust. Orion had never taken his valve, no mech had in very long, and the last one that had he had killed soon after. The larger mech’s vents turned rapid, and he realized he was frightened!

Optimus must have felt it in his field as suddenly his hazy optics began to clear, a frown appearing on his faceplates, “Megatron, I… Forgive me, I…” The smaller mech started to pull away, his field tight.

“NO!” Megatron pulled Optimus’s helm back to his, and kissed him hard! Relief flowed through his frame as the other mech relaxed once more, moaning into the kiss. Megatron pulled his helm back, his optics staring straight into his love’s. “I want you to take me Optimus, just be gentle at first. It has been a long time… please.”

The red and blue mech’s optics softened, “Of course Megatron, you are safe with me.”

Megatron felt his spark sing at the words, and he believed every word. “I love you Optimus!” He cried out as he opened his valve panel for the first time in centuries.

Optimus smiled as his servo dipped below the panting warlord, “I love you Megatron.” He let his digits swirl around the outside of Megatron’s wet port, lubricating his digits before easing one into the tight wet tunnel.

“Primus!” Megatron groaned as he felt the Prime’s digit move within him. “Ugh, it has been so looong.”

Suddenly Optimus snuck another digit in, wiggling the two of them within the larger mech. Soon squelching noises flooded Optimus audials, and he groaned.

Megatron growled, “I am ready Optimus, quickly! We are in a hall, frag it!”

The red and blue mech groaned deeply as he righted himself . On servo was holding Megatron’s leg high as his other servo guided his aching spike towards Megatron’s dripping port. He circled it a few times, getting his length wet with his mate’s lubricant before placing his tip at the soft entrance.

“Unnn, yes Prime, please!” The silver mech moaned as he felt Optimus begin to push into him. His valve was slow to expand, the delicate protoform, cables ,and gears having been unused for so long. Optimus went slowly, his optics shuttering as Megatron’s warmth enveloped his spike inch by inch.

“Urrrrgh, Megatron!” Optimus’s spike finally made it to the back of the achingly tight tunnel, and he stayed still allowing the silver mech to adjust to his girth.

Megatron rolled his hips as the burn began to fade away, “Prime, MOVE! Frag me!”

Optimus moaned as he pulled himself out, and slammed back in!

“ARRRRRGH YES! AHHHHH OPTIMUS! HARDER!” Megatron leaned his helm forward kissing Optimus hard enough to draw energon.

The smaller mech growled, and he pounded into the larger bot hard and fast. Megatron’s back plates scraped loudly against the wall with each powerful thrust.

He moaned into Optimus’s intake as he felt his overload approaching, and he let it come quickly. First because it felt so fragging amazing, and had been far too long since his valve had been used! Secondly, because they were out where any mech could find Optimus Prime eagerly fucking their Lord Megatron! Watching as their leader whimpered against the Prime like a pleasure bot.

“Uhhhh, Uhhh Yes, Ahhhh Megatron I can feel you clenching! Pull me in love! Let me give this pleasure to you!” Optimus grunted out, his servos tightening with each of his wild thrusts.

Megatron’s helm fell back as he gave himself over to Optimus fully, “Uhhhh, Uhhhhh, Yes Optimus! YEEEES! I… I… ARRRRRRRRRGH!” He overloaded hard and fast, his frame arching from the wall as he gripped the Prime’s shoulders tight enough to leave dents.

Optimus roared as Megatron’s valve clamped down hard around him, pulling his spike in deep, and the red and blue mech could only hold onto his love desperately as he climaxed!

“UHHHHHHHHH MEGATROOOOON!” Optimus felt his optics roll back as his length erupted deep within his love, filling the larger mech to the brim, his lubricant exploding for where they were joined.

The smaller mech moaned exhaustedly, his servo gently lowering Megatron’s leg as he leaned against the larger mech.

Megatron wrapped his arms around Optimus tightly, a huge smile upon his faceplates as he kissed the other mech’s helm. “So, is that all you desire my love? To save the universe?”

Optimus vented rapidly, his fans easing as he rested against his bonded, “No… I, I want more Megatron… I want you. I want… us.”

Megatron’s spark sang within him, and he lifted the tired Prime’s helm gently peering to his mate’s crystal blue optics. Once, when Optimus first emerged, he hated those optics. He had hated the mech that had seemingly destroyed his love but now, he knew Optimus was just as much a victim of Primus’s wretched path as Orion. These two entities belonged as one, and they deserved happiness, no matter what destiny said…

“Oh frag it all…” Megatron suddenly groaned as he remembered what he had been trying to accomplish before he felt Optimus’s distress.

“What is it Megatron?” Optimus asked as he sorted himself out. He wished he had some mesh to clean them with.

“Solus,” Megatron stated simply even as they both felt the immense weight of that simple word.

“Oh… Yes. Ahh, I need to speak with her. Do you have any, uhh… way to,” Optimus gestured to the floor.

Megatron laughed, “Yes just in that storage…”

“NO!” Optimus said suddenly, trying to not even think of what had set him off. He looked up to find Megatron looking at him surprised. “I am, forgive my outburst Megatron. That is where I… Where my flashback started.”

Megatron’s optics narrowed, “I see… I will gather what we need then.” He moved beyond the glowering mech, and made his way inside the storage room. He quickly grabbed some towels his optics scanning the room briefly before, making his way back to the hall. Optimus nodded his thanks as he gently took the towel from Megatron, and began cleaning up his mess.

“You apparently still have some memory files in there.” Megatron mused, his spark tight with what that could mean. On one servo that meant he may have flashes of his time as Orion, and on the other as Optimus…

The silver mech bit his lower derma, his processor pondering on the consequences this may have, **_What will he think of me once he sees Optimus’s memories?_**

Optimus stood nodding, “Yes… It would seem so. I am, hopeful for it, and yet, scared.” His optics became clouded as he too considered the possibilities of what he may discover about himself…

Megatron vented deeply, “Come Optimus, there is much we must do. We need to speak with Solus, and arrange for your Autobots to come aboard. We will need every bot, I think, for what is to come.”

Optimus smiled grimly as his tanks rumbled once more. The silver mech looked over at him smiling, “But first let us fuel.”

The smaller mech smiled back, a light blush crossing his faceplates once more. “Shouldn’t we perhaps see the Prime first? She has been held by you for two solar-cycles.”

Megatron wrapped his arm around his mate’s shoulders as he led him towards the mess hall. “I spoke with her earlier, and she isn’t so bad once she gets over her pride. Yet, any mech or femme that hurts my mate can be caged for eternity I think.”

Optimus gave him a flat look, “Were you always like this Megatron?”

“Oh Optimus, this is me being kind my love.”

Optimus looked up at the silver mech as he thought of how this mech had destroyed a planet for his Orion… **_Primus… what am I getting myself into?_**

 ………………………………..

Solus was getting irritated once more. The fragging warlord had left long ago, and she was becoming more, and more sore!

Finally the doors at the end of the hall opened once more, and she vented in relief and frustration.

“Forgive us for taking so long, my mate hadn’t fueled yet.” Megatron said lightly in the ancient language as he appeared before her cage once more, the youngest Prime following after him.

Optimus’s optics bulged as he set his optics on Solus’s chained frame, “Primus Megatron! You think she has enough chains on her!? We need to let her down this instant!” The smaller mech strangled out in English.

Megatron looked over at him, his optics dark, “Optimus she grabbed your spark. I didn’t want to give her any way of getting another chance.”

Optimus narrowed his optics but he nodded, “I suppose I can understand that.”

The silver mech’s optical ridge rose at that. Orion would have probably continued to be applaud at the femme’s bindings, but Optimus seemed to immediately understand the threat she had possessed.

Optimus walked up to the bars looking at the Prime, his optics serious, “Why did you want my spark?”

Solus gaped at him, “I don’t want your spark Optimus! I wanted to awaken you. I needed to do so _through_ your spark. If you two hadn’t been so foolish, and just allowed me to…”

Megatron cleared his vocalizer, “Solus, vent for a moment.”

The hanging Prime glared at him yet found herself venting deeply before she continued, “Yes, well like I was saying, I needed to awaken you. The only way to do so is through your spark. At least that is what Alpha Trion told me when he sent me on this insane mission.”

Optimus tilted his helm, “Awaken me? Awaken… _what_ in me?” His spark was beginning to hammer in his chassis.

“Please unchain me, and I will tell you everything! I swear by my spark, I shall not harm you, or anyone on this ship… as long as you do not harm me. I just ache terribly.”

Optimus looked over at the silver mech. Megatron scowled for a moment before he moved forward and unlocked the door. “You stay out here Optimus.”

The smaller mech looked like he was about to argue, but he merely nodded and watched as Megatron locked the door after he entered.

He made quick work of the chains, and gently lowered the groaning Prime down, his servos holding onto her as she steadied herself.

“Thank you,” she mumbled as she lowered her frame to sit. Her servo rubbed her shoulders as she looked up to Optimus.

“Long before the war, Primus knew that his end was nearing, evidently. Now, please remember, this information was passed to me by Trion as Megatronus was brutally attacking the Chamber of the Primes. I caught what I could but…” Solus vented dejectedly, and Optimus felt himself feeling terrible for her.

“Anyways, Primus knew his end was nearing so… he knew he needed to plan for it. For if he were to die, leaving only Unicron to his creations, he feared his twin’s darkness would spread far and free through the known galaxies. So, he created a fail-safe. He took a portion of himself, and hid it away. He filled that portion of himself with his strength, his power, his peace, and light. Yet he struggled with where to hide it. A relic, an underground tomb of sorts, out deep into space? All seemed too vulnerable, and easily accessible. I mean, look at the struggles you have had with the Matrix even…” Solus gestured to Optimus as she laughed bitterly.

Optimus felt as if his spark would explode within him as he listened to her, “Where did he hide it Solus?” His voice was so very quiet compared to the chaos running throughout his frame.

Megatron looked over at his mate, his field as terrified as his lover’s.

Solus smiled sadly, “He decided to hide himself in plain sight Optimus. He pulled a carefully collected piece of himself, and created a very special spark. He then sent that spark out of the Well where it was later raised by one of the original Primes. To learn, and grow with its own creations. To experience the wonder, and horror at times, of what he would one day become a deity too.”

She looked at Optimus’s still confused optics as Megatron moaned raggedly beside her.

“You are Primus, Optimus. You are our great creator, and it has come time for you to take your rightful place, and save Cybertron!”


	16. First Flight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHH you guys are so AWESOME! So.. stuff happens here, like ya do... and I hope you like it. Some stuff gets a little different, and hopefully that won't take away from... anything. Next chapter will be a bit as I have convinced myself to try and make art for this one...Though, I may give up hahaha ok ENJOY!

Megatron stared down at the small femme, his frame, and spark numb within him. He turned his tired helm towards Optimus to find the Prime on his knees before the cage, his faceplates still, and collected. The red and blue mech’s field was pulled as tightly as his own.

**_I am losing him all over again…_ **

Megatron moved to the cell door, Optimus not looking away from the Prime the whole time. His servos shook as he unlocked the barred door, and opened it slowly. “You are free to roam the ship, Solus.” Was all the silver mech said as he strode past Optimus, and quietly left the cell block.

Optimus was slightly aware of the larger mech’s absence yet he could only kneel, his body didn’t have the strength to move. He hung his helm, his processor and spark oddly as still as the rest of him.

Solus stood, and stumbled over to him. She looked down at the silent Prime, Primus really, as he knelt there.

“Optimus, I must awaken you. We have already lost so much time, but I cannot do it on Earth. Your emergence could very possibly awaken Unicron in turn. If he were to feel Primus’s presence… it could spell disaster for this planet. We…” She knelt next to the youngest Prime, her voice soft, “We must go quickly.”

Optimus stared at his servos. He felt things tugging at his processor, things he knew but didn’t know… memories perhaps? At the moment he was too tired to care. So overwhelmed by what Solus had said, that his processor felt as if it had shut down to just basic functions. Suddenly he heard the beep of an incoming comm.

**:Optimus? It is Ratchet. Our team is aboard the Nemesis. We are waiting for you in the war room.:**

Optimus raised his helm, pointedly ignoring Solus’s pleading optics. **:Understood. On route.:**

He stood slowly, his frame aching around him, he turned finally to Solus, “I must meet with my team. I have things to finish here. You will not speak a word of this until I do. Do you understand Solus?”

The femme looked slightly irritated at being commanded, and probably at the fact that he wasn’t immediately leaving with her, but she reminded herself who she was speaking to. “As you command Great Prim..”

“DO NOT ADDRESS ME AS PRIMUS!” Optimus yelled at her, his optics suddenly blazing in rage. He vented as she stepped back, settling his frantic fans as his optics turned neutral once more.

“Let’s go.” He turned on her, and made his way to the higher levels of the ship. She gritted her denta slightly as she stumbled after him.

**_Every klik we wait, Megatronus will get closer and closer to finding me, and in turn finding Primus… I need to get this fool off the planet as soon as possible, even if I have to drag him._ **

…………………..

Optimus vented as he stood before the war room’s door. He had wanted to speak to Megatron yet figured he would give the larger mech a moment. He wished he was allowed one as well yet, he had spent far too much time from his team. He needed to get to know them, and gather as much intel as possible, while he still could.

Solus stood impatiently beside him, she had just finished uploading an English language card. The red and blue mech wondered if he should have waited to give it to her until after their meeting. He really didn’t need her temper right now, especially as she was already so irritated with him.

He straightened his back struts and pushed the door open, the glowering Solus following behind him.

The room he entered had screens towards the back of the room and a huge table in the center, large black chairs surrounded the perimeter of it. His Autobots immediately stood from those chairs as he neared one end of the table.

“Optimus!” A large green mech called out happily, the little yellow mech beeped, and chirped his greeting. The little blue feme was silent though, her faceplates looking relieved if not embarrassed.

“At ease please.” Optimus smiled as he waved them all down. Most of them listened but the yellow bot seemed to dance in place for a minute before he climbed over the table suddenly, and ran at the Prime.

Optimus heard the surprised yelps from the other bots as the little mech flew off the table, his arms wrapping around his leader’s waist, and he held the Prime tightly. The red and blue mech’s optics grew wide as he looked down at the smaller bot, his smile growing as he gently pet the other’s helm.

“Forgive me for worrying you so…” Optimus realized he didn’t know the sad mech’s designation.

Luckily the little bot seemed to sense his problem, and he chirped out his name.

“Ahh, thank you Bumblebee.” The Prime lifted his helm looking at all of his Autobots in turn. “I apologize to all of you for the strife my actions and, recent amnesia has caused.”

Ratchet smiled, his spark at ease more than it had been in some time. Seeing Optimus addressing his team once more was a welcomed sight, though as he glared at Solus, he felt a terrible storm may be coming to them all.

Bumblebee hugged his leader once more, wiping any coolant from his optics as he made his way to his seat once more.

Optimus vented as his optics grew stoic once more, “I suppose we should start with introductions?”

The large green mech smiled sadly, “Oh yeah, uhh I’m Bulkhead, and that is Arcee. Ya already know Ratch and Bee. I… slag, it is nice to see you boss bot.”

Optimus smiled once more, his optics skirting towards Arcee for a moment, and she lowered her optics.

“Thank you Bulkhead. So, has Ratchet debriefed you all about my current condition, as well as what has occurred?” Optimus asked as he noticed Solus sit behind him, her optics unsure and glaring.

“I have Orion.” Ratchet reported, and Optimus was certain the little blue femme gritted her denta.

His optics narrowed as he looked towards her, “Arcee?”

She looked at him sheepishly, a blue blush on her faceplates, “I… forgive me Optimus. It's just… Last time this happened we nearly lost you to this monster. The designation Orion brings up dark memories.”

Ratchet growled slightly, and looked as if he were about to scream at her but Optimus placed a gentle servo on his shoulder. “Peace Ratchet.”

He turned his helm back to the femme, and he sighed as he tried to understand where she was coming from. “I am sorry to hear of that Arcee. I am. Yet this time will hopefully be different. I believe that through this chaos we may finally find peace through our two factions.  Megatron seems to be…”

“FRAG HIM… SIR. Megatron is a MONSTER! Maybe you get the gift of forgetting everything he has destroyed, but none of us have!” Arcee was standing now, her optics blazing!

Oddly enough Solus beat Ratchet in his retort, “How dare you speak to a Prime like this femme! Have you no respect for your betters!?”

Optimus groaned as he glared at the other Prime. “Solus please allow me to address my team, peacefully?”

Solus snarled, “Cybertronians have fallen so very…” she stared pointedly at the other femme, “very far. You are an embarrassment to your species femme!”

Optimus rubbed his optics with his servo as Bulkhead stood, “Hey, easy there lady! Arcee is one of the most honorable mechs I know! We just lost our Prime, and we are all a little… on edge is all.”

“You haven’t lost him! Here he stands! She is merely spitting in his faceplates!” Solus moved closer to the table, her servos fisted!

Ratchet stood then, “Fine thing for you to say Solus, after you tried to RIP our Prime’s spark from his chassis!”

Solus invented deeply, her frame shaking with fury, “I did not want to RIP it OUT! I was trying to awaken him MEDIC! Awaken him for what he truly supposed to BE! For what he must become to DEFEND all of you UNGRATEFUL BOTS!”

“Solus…” Optimus warned, his voice light, but the chaos in the room was making him dizzy.

“Oh, and what would that be Solus Prime!? What else must our leader do for Primus!?” Arcee spit out, her frame shaking as well.

“Please everyone, can we not just sit down, and speak peacefully?” Optimus pleaded, his processor running wildly inside him.

“You do not matter enough to deserve that information, _creation!_ In fact none of you do!” Solus yelled as she crossed her arms, her optics narrowed.

Arcee growled louder, “That is OUR PRIME femme! It is far more our business THAN YOURS! Where the FRAG have any of you other _PRIMES_ BEEN until NOW!?”

“Well since Optimus is WASTING so much time dealing with you THANKLESS bots, they are probably ALL DEAD NOW! He was the one to…”

“ENOUGH!” Optimus cried out, his servos slamming onto the table before him. The room became silent immediately, the only sounds being Optimus’s frantic vents. His frame was shaking as he stared at his fisted servos.

Ratchet glared at Solus as he placed his servo over one of Optimus’s trembling fists. “I am sorry Optimus. We are all a little… we are trying.”

Optimus tried to ease his vents, but his processor was spinning so quickly he couldn’t seem to ease the storm. “Ra….Rat..tchet…” His voice strangled out as he placed one of his servos on his helm.

The medic’s optics grew serious instantly, “Orion!? What is it?”

“Arrrrrgh!” Optimus ripped his fist from beneath Ratchet’s servo as pain exploded through his helm once more!

The war room faded away as the memory hit him.

He was in a Cybertronian city once more. He stood tall as he watched seekers fly over him, their missiles exploding forward aimed at a massive building before them. Optimus covered his audials as they hit their mark, and the world before him ignited in a sea of flames, and shattered building parts.

“Run Prime!” Some mech called from behind him, and he turned seeing an older, grey mech start towards him.

“Grab him KUP!” Another mech screamed from somewhere, and Optimus turned to his left trying to find the other mech.

Optimus felt a twinge of familiarity in his spark, **_I know KUP! I remember him!_**

Suddenly the building parts began to rain from the sky! The jagged, broken metal raining down around him as he began to run towards the mech called Kup. He immediately smashed into some unseen force, and he fell! **_Wait! I am not here! I am on the Nemesis! I…_**

He raised his helm as Kup came towards him, his optics desperate! “OPTIMUS RUN!” Suddenly a huge metal plate spiraled from the sky above the running mech, and Optimus could only scream as he watched the huge piece of debris rip through his friend!

Kup was neatly sliced in two as the plate spiraled through his left shoulder, across his chassis, until it exited near the mech’s right hip joint. Kup blinked at him a moment, a sad smile on his faceplates before the top half of him fell backwards in a spray on energon and internals.

“KUUUUUUP!” Optimus ripped himself from the ground just as he felt servos grabbing at him! He looked around him but saw NOTHING!?

“Get OFF OF MEEE!?” He screamed as he flailed at nothing!? His fists connected with something, and he threw another of the shadows away ,finally freeing himself! He turned back to Kup’s greying frame just to feel more servos grab at him! He screamed as he tried to rip the invisible creatures off of him!

“NOOO KUUUUUP! HE IS….” It suddenly felt as if something slammed into his helm, his tender jaw screaming, and fell back. The shadows held him down as he struggled.

**_KUP! Why can I not get to HIM!?_ **

“OPTIMUS PLEASE STOOOOOP!”

He heard something call his name, and still he struggled!

“ORION PLEASE!”

 ** _Orion? Primus… I am on the…_** Optimus became limp, closing his optics from the chaos around him. Slowly the noises eased, and all he could hear was the rapid vents of those around him.

He unshuttered his optics slowly, his processor reeling with the memory to find Bulkhead, and Arcee holding him down. Ratchet was at his helm, a syringe in his shaking servo as he aimed it at Optimus’s throat cables. The medic was bleeding energon from his helm.

“Orion?” Ratchet asked, his vocalizer crackling with static, the medic’s optics were filled with coolant.

Optimus invented deeply, stilling his chaotic spark. “Ratchet... I, I have returned Sire…” His voice grated out roughly.

Arcee, and Bulkhead let go of his arms, their optics nervous as they sat back.

“What was that!?” Arcee asked quietly as Optimus remained lying there. His frame was still shaking, and wasn’t sure if sitting was best at the moment.

Ratchet suddenly got up, and made his way to the corner of the room. “Bulkhead we need to carry Solus to the med bay. That laceration is…”

“WHAT!?” Optimus spun his shaking frame suddenly, the movement scaring Arcee as he pushed himself up to his servos and knees quickly. He raised his helm to find Solus’s frame crumpled in the corner of the room. Apparently she had been pushed, or thrown, so hard against the metal walls there was a huge indentation where the walls intersected.

Optimus groaned as he realized she was leaking energon as well, from where wasn’t immediately clear. He hung his helm low as Bulkhead rose, and made his way to the unconscious femme, lifting her gently.

Ratchet turned back to Optimus, concern in his optics, “You, you should come with us Optimus. I would like to do a neural scan on you. Do you think you can walk?”

The Prime nodded sullenly as he pushed his frame from the floor. ** _My chance to get to know these bots better, to get answers… all of it ruined, and it ends in a medical facility._**

He vented deeply, returning his face to neutrality as he followed his team mates towards the med bay, Kup’s gruesome death replaying in his processor over, and over again.

**_I finally, ‘truly’ remember a mech… and it is only through remembering his death. How many more friends will I finally recall… just to watch them die?_ **

……………………

The moment Solus started to speak of a special spark, Megatron knew. He knew what Optimus was, and he knew that meant he would be gone once more.

In that moment he felt trapped. The ship felt as if it were tightening around his spark so tightly it would crush him! He needed air! He needed freedom!

Now as he ripped through the skies of Earth, he felt slightly bad for abandoning Optimus with it all. He hadn’t even told Soundwave he was leaving. He just opened the docking doors, and jumped to freedom!

He wasn’t sure how long he had been flying, how long it had been since… since that wretched FEMME told them… told them….

“AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!” Megatron screamed as he burned his jets as hot as he could, racing through the skies. His engine roared along with his screams as he flipped, and swirled around Jasper’s terrain.

Suddenly static came through his comm for a moment.

**:Lord Megatron status?:**

The silver mech eased his flight, and forced his processor to focus on his second in command. **:Functioning Soundwave. Is there an issue?:**

**:Affirmative. Autobots aboard. Optimus flashback. Solus in med bay. Unknown energy signal.”**

Megatron felt his engine stutter, and he lost some altitude. **_Frag it all. How long have I been gone!? It didn’t feel that long!_**

**:Is Optimus alright?:**

**:Affirmative.:**

Megatron felt his spark ease with that knowledge at least. **:You reported an odd energy signal? Am I near its location? I will investigate before I return.:**

**:Affirmative coordinates sent. Vehicons assist?:**

Megatron received the location of the signal, and he turned himself around, **:Uncertain they will be necessary. I will comm you if I need assistance.:**

**:Understood.:**

Megatron blasted off towards the signal as he reached for Optimus through their bond. **/Optimus, are you alright?/**

He waited patiently until he finally felt his mate’s side of the bond open wider to him. **/I am well Megatron./** The Prime’s voice sounded worn in his helm.

**/You had another flashback?/**

**/Yes. It resulted in me attacking Solus, and Ratchet. She is in stasis…/**

**_Good, fragging wench!_** Megatron couldn’t help but feel some satisfaction at that.

 **/I can feel your approval from here Megatron…/** Optimus’s voice sounded disapproving.

**/Little joys in life keep us going Optimus, do not deny me mine. I am off to check an odd energy signal, but I shall return soon. Try and relax, and not feel so guilty for everything… for once./**

**/Energy signal? Do you think you should be inspecting it alone? I could join you./** Optimus’s voice sounded hopeful. Apparently he was as ready to escape from the confines of the ship as his mate.

Megatron vented as he considered Optimus’s offer, **/Very well. Tell Soundwave you are joining me, and he has the signal’s coordinates to ground bridge to./**

 **/I will be there in a few kliks! Don’t start without me!/** Megatron laughed as he felt Optimus’s excitement through their bond. Where it seemed like the Prime started their conversation, there was no doubt Orion ended it.

The silver mech felt his spark sing as he remembered how curious Orion had always been. Always reading, his optics wide whenever he went somewhere new, as if trying to absorb all of the secrets and histories he could in a nano-sec. Orion had always been a mech that spoke from his spark, perhaps a little too much at times, but it was quality Megatron had adored in his mate.

Megatron neared the location of the energy signal, and decided to land away from it to wait for Ori.. Optimus. Ahead of him was a huge mountain like cave. Its gaping entrance not too far from Megatron stood.

Suddenly the crackle of a ground bridge sounded towards his right, and he walked towards the sound. The silver mech opened his optics wide as Optimus came _flying_ out of the bridge in his alt-form, the truck speeding right at him! He jumped aside just in time as the large truck flew by him, its tires sliding along the sands as he pulled a 180 at top speed. The truck’s right side lifted off the ground a few inches, but Optimus kept his balance as he started back towards the surprised silver mech. The truck transformed as he approached, his frame rolling through the air as he changed, before he landed gracefully right in front of the now gaping Megatron.

“That was INCREDIBLE!” Megatron was fairly certain he almost heard Optimus squeal as he said it.

The red and blue mech looked at him, him dermas smiling broadly, and optics blazing with wonder! “I AM A TRUCK! At least that is what Soundwave called it! Uh, I cannot wait to drive some more! I didn’t even think to try and transform before! I have been missing so much time! Can we go for a drive after!? Or… haha a flight for you! I didn’t realize you could fly! You do not even appear to have wings in your root form! Oh, I would love to fly! I wonder if I could change my alt-form, do you think that is possible!?”

Megatron laughed richly, “Vent Orion, you are going to fry your processor, or mine!”

“Optimus, remember!” Optimus pointed at him, smiling.

Megatron smiled fondly at his mate, and he realized what a beautiful thing it was to say Optimus’s name, and know Orion was right there with him.

“Yes, Optimus,” The silver mech laughed heartily once more, wrapping his arms around the smaller mech tightly.

Optimus held him back, his helm rubbing against his chest plates comfortably. “I love your laughter Megatron. You should do it more often.”

Megatron held him tighter, “For a long, long time there was not much to laugh about, Optimus.” His voice dropped low.

His mate raised his helm, his beautiful, wondering optics looking into Megatron’s clouded red ones. “Well, I shall endeavor to remedy that.”

Megatron smiled sadly as he kissed Optimus’s dermas lightly before pulling back. His optics burned with deeper sorrow now, “I am going to follow you Optimus. Wherever this road made lead us. I, have nothing but you, and I do not desire a life without you.”

Optimus felt the joy had had held start to dim as he thought of what Solus had said. He looked up to his love, “Megatron, I… She needs to pull me off planet. Probably to Cybertron, for… for the awakening. I do not know how I will… save Cybertron, but I imagine it…” He looked at his pedes, his optics growing dim.

Megatron growled, “We can continue with Project Iacon, perhaps one of the relics can restore Cybertron, Optimus! Be Cybertron’s leader fine, and I shall be beside you, but we must at least try alternatives. Obviously, the Fallen knows a way to restore Cybertron without a sacrifice of your spark! Solus basically said as much.”

Optimus titled his helm, “Project Iacon…?

Megatron groaned, “I had forgotten you do not remember anything. Come, let us explore this cave, and I will explain. Either way, there seems to clearly be a way to restore our planet without losing you… or at least I hope there is.”

Prime’s optics glowed with hope, “Yes, tell me all about these relics! How did you first learn of them? How many have you found? Do you…”

Megatron laughed, his spark growing light once more as Ori… Optimus continued his barrage of questions as they entered the looming darkness before them.

…………………………..

Megatron groaned as his back plates scraped against the bedrock of the small tunnel again. Optimus was behind him, and not fairing much better.

“Curse whatever is interfering with our instruments! We are going to get lost down here!” Megatron growled as he felt his shoulder get suck for a moment.

Optimus placed his servo on the shoulder, “Want me to push?”

“Arrrgh, fine. On my count, one, two, Three!” Megatron waited for the assist, yet Optimus hadn’t moved. “Optimus!?”

“What? I was unsure what number you wished to start on. You should have said NOW, or GO! You need to be clearer with your orders _Lord_ Megatron.”

Megatron rolled his optics, “Thus, the use of _inflection_ when I, OOOOOFFF!” Optimus had suddenly pushed hard, and the silver mech tumbled forwards helm over pedes with his force. He landed hard on his back groaning once more. Optimus’s helm appeared over his own, a hardly contained smile on his cocky faceplates, “Sorry about that but, at least you are free!”

Megatron scowled at his mate as he picked himself up, his helm knocking on the low ceiling of the tunnel with a loud clang. “Uuuugh, I cannot wait to get out of this wretched place!”

Optimus snickered behind him quietly until he gasped, “Look, up ahead! Light!”

Megatron turned his aching helm as he too saw the blessed glow of sunlight, “Thank Primus.”

“You’re welcome.” Optimus joked bitterly.

Megatron couldn’t help but smile. Even with all that Optimus being Primus entailed, he found himself in awe of it all. In fact, it seemed so simple now, so blazingly clear. _Of course_ Optimus was a God. There were no Cybertronian’s like him, none Megatron had ever met anyways.

Orion and Optimus had been a light to the world since they entered it. Even when they were hurt, beaten, betrayed, spit upon… they had always been the better mechs. Fighting for the good in all things… even at the cost of their own pain, their own sacrifices… and there had been many sacrifices.  Megatron used to think Orion was ignorant, and perhaps he had been, to a point, but now he believed that Orion and Optimus were just truly, deeply _good_. Chaotically virtuous mechs, in a twisted universe… God like even…

Megatron adjusted his optics as he finally made it to the end of the tunnel, his optics scanning what opened up before him.

It was a circular, open cavern. Its walls towered high into the sky above them. There were many boulders, and spires along the floor of the cavern making it hard to see clearly across the opening.

Suddenly their scanning instruments came back online, and the little device was chirping like mad as its beeps echoed off of the circular stone loudly.

“Arrrrrgh, so much for the element of surprise.” Megatron grumbled out as he turned off the scanner.

He stepped out into the chamber, his cannon ahead of him. Optimus’s optics adjusted, and scanned their surrounding as he too stepped out. “I don’t like this Megatron. There seems to be only one exit beyond the sky, if there is trouble…”

“I can carry you out of here Optimus.” Megatron assured him as he began to carefully make his way around some of the spires.

“If you are uninjured Megatron.” Optimus retorted as he transformed one servo to his rifle, and followed after the silver mech.

Optimus was merely a few feet from their tunnel when the _boom_ sounded, and he had a nano-second to jump away from the tunnel’s entrance as a bright red blast hit above the hole. The wall there crumbled instantly, completely erasing the tunnel’s existence.

“Frag it!” Megatron yelled as he turned to peer at his mate. “Optimus are you al…AAAHHHHHH!” The silver mech screamed as a huge blade ripped through his right shoulder. He hazily heard Optimus scream as well, as he turned his optics from the blade’s dripping tip to find a demonic looking mech behind him!

“So terribly predictable. I am almost disappointed.” The Fallen purred out, his helm close. The hulking creature laughed as he placed his pede on Megatron’s back plates, and slid the mech from his blade.

“Ahhhhhhh!” Megatron screamed as he was pushed along the blade’s great length slowly, his inner cables and fuel lines slicing cleanly until he finally dropped from the tip. He collapsed along the ground, his vision swimming from the agony in his shoulder.

“Megatron!” Optimus screamed for his mate, his own shoulder feeling Megatron’s pain as he pushed himself forward, his rifle firing at the colossal mech.

The Fallen laughed as he allowed the shots to burn through his plating, and he charged at the smaller mech.

Optimus changed tactics instantly, and he weaved between the spires and boulders. The larger mech may have been immensely strong, but he wasn't nearly as fast as the Prime!

The Fallen roared as he began to just smash the irritating obstacles, Optimus firing on the mech as he worked his way around the chamber.

Optimus’s shoulder throbbed as he made his way to Megatron. He needed to get the silver mech out of the way so he could fight clearly. At the moment his mate was right near where the Fallen was stomping, and crushing everything around him!

The red and blue mech ran up one of the larger boulders, roaring as he jumped towards the demon! Megatronus spun his helm towards the roar just as Optimus unleased a volley of shots, right at the fragger’s helm!

“Arrrrgh!” The Fallen stumbled back as one shot fried through his optic, and he fell painfully across a small grouping of spires.

Optimus landed lightly, immediately moving to his mate. “Megatron!” The silver mech groaned as he was hauled up on his love’s shoulder.

The Prime searched the cavern, desperate to find a place to store the injured mech. Finally he just moved, figuring the further away the better!

“Orion I am fine, let me down…” Megatron moaned out.

“I need you out of the way Megatron I…”

Suddenly, something slipped around Optimus’s leg and pulled backwards!

“Uhhh!” He grunted as he fell forwards, the silver mech dumping from his servos as his frame was pulled back across the chamber’s rocky floor!

Megatron lifted his dizzy helm as he watched Optimus being ripped backwards. “Nooo ORION!”

Optimus’s servos scrambled for something to hang on to as he slipped, and bumped across the broken terrain.

“Arrrgh! Frag it!”  He yelled as he flipped his frame, tilting his helm to find a tendril of sorts wrapped around his pede. He leveled his rifle at the appendage, and began firing madly at it! Unfortunately,  given the chaotic and jostling journey, he only managed to hit the cursed thing a few times, gritting his denta as he hit his own pede a few times as well.

The Fallen’s monstrous visage filled his optics as he neared, and he transformed both servos to rifles. Screaming madly, he opened fire with both weapons, blasting at the creature with everything he had!

Once he was closer, the steaming mech reached his servos out to Optimus’s rifles, ignoring each burn of the charges as he grabbed each weapon with crushing force!

“AHHHHHHHHH!” Optimus screamed as his rifles, and servos, were crushed into crumpled metal! He heard Megatron scream somewhere from behind him as well, and he stared defiantly at the terrible black optics that looked down at him.

“That is enough of that, I think!” The Fallen growled out as he dropped the ruined limbs, placing his huge pede on the bottom of Optimus’s chassis.

“Uuuugh!” Optimus groaned out as Megatronus bent over him, a wicked smile on his charred faceplates. “Thanks to you, I do not need to spend an eternity searching for those wretched keys. I have all I need, right here!”

Optimus’s optics widened, **_He knows!?_**

The Fallen laughed harder as he bent to open Optimus’s chest plates. “Oh yes, little Primus! I know! You shall renew Cybertron for me little GOD, for once I awaken you, I shall rip your spark from your frame, take Solus, and return to heal Cybertron, IN MY IMAGE!"

The dark mech sneered darkly into Optimus’s bulging optics, “ I also know, only a Prime can awaken you. Luckily… you have found one.”

Optimus found himself panicking, “Megatronus! You cannot do it here! I may awaken…” The hulking mech slammed his fist down onto Optimus’s helm, static filling the little Prime’s vision.

“You will awaken, I assure you of that!” The Fallen gripped into the seams of Optimus’s spark chamber, his claws digging deep into the plates as he pulled up. “What!?” The huge mech growled as the chest plates did not budge!

**_How can I not open them!? I have before!_ **

Megatronus roared as he pulled harder, his pede pushing down on the screaming mech’s chassis hard, and still they would not OPEN!

A light caught his optics as he struggled, and he saw the smaller Prime’s optics begin to glow bright white! He grunted in confusion as the light from the mech’s spark chamber began to increase as well! The light growing brighter, and brighter with each klik!

Optimus looked at him through the light, “You are not worthy of this spark.” The little Prime’s voice echoed around them loud, and powerful.

The Fallen ROARED! No POWER would keep him from this! “YOU OWE ME OPTIMUS! MY LAST PAYMENT! OPEN YOUR SPARK CHAMBER NOW!!!”

Suddenly Optimus screamed as his spark exploded in white FIRE!

“Ohhh, YES Optimus! Even YOU cannot deny me my PAYMENT! We made A DEAL, and THAT has POWER IN IT TOO! You will be wrapped in AGONY for  all ETERNITY if YOU REFUSE ME!” The dark mech leaned close to Optimus’s glowing frame, his smile wicked. “And, so shall your bonded.” He growled as he pointed behind Optimus’s helm.

The Prime whimpered as he forced his helm back, suddenly _very_ aware of Megatron’s wretched screams. The silver mech was clutching at his spark chamber so fiercely that his claws drew energon!

“Me…Megatron…” Optimus moaned brokenly, his own spark burning like acid within him. Suddenly the pain flared hotter, and he and Megatron both bellowed!

“Open your spark chamber or the pain will increase until you both go MAD from it! I will just take what I want then anyways LITTLE GOD! YOU HAVE NO POWER IN THIS!”

Optimus screamed as his frame began to jerk from the pain, he could hear Megatron wailing wretchedly behind him.

“ARRRRRRGH! FIIIINE, I WIIIILLLLLL. I WILLLL!” Optimus screamed as he fought over the power that was flaring within him, and force his own servos into his seams. “I RETURN THIS PAYMENT!” He cried, and perhaps through the accursed pact, and his will power, he was able to slowly, agonizingly open his chest plates.

The Fallen stared at his prize as the smaller mech vented desperately, the pain in his spark gone as quickly as it had appeared.

The demonic mech’s servo pushed his servo into the other’s spark chamber, and wrapped it around the glittering white spark. “I awaken you Primus, Great Creator! Come, and heal your planet!”

The glow around Optimus increased to a blinding brightness, and Megatronus had to shutter his optics fully!   ** _YEEEES! YEEES! All my dreams are about to come TRUE!_**

The Fallen suddenly felt his energy being pulled from his frame, and he groaned. “WHAT!? What is..” The hulking mech felt his frame growing heavier, and heavier as his strength was drained from him!

“NOOOO!” He screamed as he tried to pull his servos from around the spark it held, but he couldn’t move it! His knees gave out from under him as he vented madly, his processor beginning to glitch as the world swirled in front of him!

Finally the light in the chamber died down, and the terrible pull of his energy ceased. Megatronus fell to the ground, hardly keeping out of stasis as he felt the smaller Prime’s frame begin to move from beneath his arm.

The dark mech lifted his optics for a moment catching a gleam of white, and gold before his frame finally fell into the peaceful bliss of stasis.

……………

Optimus gently removed the limb from his chassis before closing his chest plates, and wobbling to his pedes. His processor was dizzy, and his vision a bit blurry but otherwise, he felt fine. Better than fine in fact, except his shoulder continued to ache… ** _MEGATRON!_** He turned his frame, and quickly scrambled across the broken landscape towards the unconscious mech.

“Ohhh, Megatron!” Optimus moaned as he reached to push his love to his back plates when suddenly he realized his servos were white! White, gold, and silver!?

He vented franticly as he scanned over the rest of his frame! From what he could tell, the basic make of his frame was the same, but the colors were glittering shades of all those colors, and he seemed to have strange symbols, and swirling glyphs adorning his plates! His spark suddenly screamed out in pain, he shook his helm, focusing on his dying mate!

“Ohhh, ok, I have you I just,” He looked above him, “Have no idea how to get us out!” He looked back at the tunnel as he tried to comm Soundwave. Evidently there was still too much interference to get that kind of signal out.

“Arrrgh!” Optimus roared as his processor spun. **_Megatron is going to die here if I can’t get him out! I will NOT let that HAPPEN!_**

He looked back over at the tunnel. **_Digging will take too long, but what if I ram through the rubble it in my alt-form?_**  It was a desperate plan that could result in more injuries for him, but what else could he do!?

He moved to where the tunnel’s entrance had been, his optics warily peering over at Megatronus’s inert frame. He wondered if he should just kill the mech?

 He was torn for a moment until his spark flared dreadfully within him once more causing him to gasp as he fell to his knees! “Arrrrrrgh, Megatron…”

His decision made, Optimus began his transformation. His frame glided, and flew around him then, not unlike when he transformed into the truck, but the shifts were far more complicated this time. He knew he was becoming something different!

His gears and pistons continued to work around his spark like a dance until finally, his transformation was complete!

His processor suddenly felt alien to him as unknown programs ran through it for the first time. He blinked his optics as his helm wavered on his long… neck? Forcing his optics to focus, Optimus brought his helm down to his frame, and stared in wonder at his new alt-form. **_What am I!?_**

Suddenly, he wacked himself with his wing, and he growled at it irritated by the… **_WINGS!!!? I HAVE WINGS!? I can FLY us out of here!_**

He stumbled as he tried to get his pedes to work under him, the new programming helped, but it was still hard to control the four limbs.

He made it to Megatron’s frame, his spark aching constantly now. He raised his long helm as he tried to calculate how terrible his first flight would be, and how desperately he needed it to work well.

**_I have no choice now… Please be strong my love._ **

He lifted his front claws out, gently encircling the silver mech in them as he spread his wings wide. He flapped them gently, filtering through the program files before he kicked off the ground as brought his wings down hard!

For a moment he surged upwards, hope fleeting through his burning spark before he began to fall. **_NOOO! I MUST DO THIS!_**

Roaring he beat his wings faster, and faster, catching himself right before he hit the ground! He lifted his long neck as he hovered there a moment before pushing his wings back hard once more, and he flew upwards once again. He made sure to keep the pace, as foot by foot he flew towards the sky above him!

Finally, his frame aching, and spark on fire, he crested the top of the large chamber! He had a moment of peace before a sudden gust of wind caught his great wings and he began to tumble out of the sky!

 ** _NO!_** Optimus roared as he tried to right himself, his wings tilting this way, and that way trying to even his frame.

As the ground quickly approached, all he could do was wrap himself around his love, and brace for the impact!

He SLAMMED into the ground! His clawed servos clinging desperately to Megatron as he rolled, and tumbled across the terrain. He hit the sparse trees, rocks, until finally, he smashed hard into giant boulder, and was still.

Optimus growled weakly as he lay there. His frame felt as if it had been put through a shredder, and numerous error messages were blinking at him. He felt his spark flutter weakly, and he bellowed miserably.  Energon erupted from his long muzzle, his optics beginning to static out. His spark was shattering within him as Megatron faded...

**_His spark is going out… I can’t… Forgive me love, I tried… I tried..._ **

“It landed over here!” He heard a scream as his systems began to shut down. Optimus raised his aching helm watching as large shapes began to run towards him, and his love!

His glitching processor couldn’t truly make sense of what he was seeing, but he immediately felt protective of his wounded mate! He forced his tattered frame up, scooting Megatron’s frame behind him as he growled at the approaching creatures.

…………………

Bulkhead stopped short as the giant monster growled at them.

Ratchet gaped at the wounded creature, “Is that… Is that a predacon!?”

The beast roared, baring its sharp denta as more energon spewed from his intake.

“It has Megatron! There behind it!” Bulkhead yelled out.

Ratchet’s optics searched around them, “Where, where is ORION!?”

Soundwave stepped forward silently his masked helm reflecting the injured predacon. He moaned sadly as he approached the creature.

“Soundwave are you GLITCHED!?” Knockout called out as he watched his teammate approach the insane thing.

The predacon roared at him, weaker now, its frame shaking from rage and energon loss.

Soundwave lifted his servo slowly as he approached, the beast snapping at it, but he didn’t seem to be truly trying to hurt the mech, just scare him.

As Soundwave stood just a few feet from the creature, confusion seemed to pass through its optics and it whimpered slightly.

“Orion,” Soundwave began, and the beast growled at the strange voice, pushing its great helm forwards. It bared its sharp denta as its chest flared, filling with fire as it prepared to melt the little mech into a puddle.

Soundwave lifted his other servo to his helm and, for the first time since the war began, took off his mask, his optics looked up to the snarling creature. He cleared his vocalizer, resetting it to his long vacant natural voice, “Orion, please dear one, you must calm yourself, and transform. We will take care of both of you. You are safe now.”

The predacon ceased its fire as it curiously sniffed the mech across from it, its nostrils flaring at the familiar scent. Suddenly it purred sadly, its great helm leaning against the extended servo, and  a gentle grumble sounded in its chest.

“You are safe now dear one. Please transform so we may help you, and Megatron.” The dark mech raised his other servo, holding the great creature's helm as he leaned the tip of his own against it.

Finally the sound of gears and shifting plates reached his audials, and he stepped back watching as Orion transformed into his new root form.

Optimus vented brokenly as the transformation completed, his processor clearing from its predatory haze as he swayed. He looked over to the mech before him his tired optics coming to Soundwave’s deep violet optics, and he smiled weakly, “Soundwave… I found you…” His optics rolled back as he tumbled towards the ground.

The dark mech was there in a moment, his long arms wrapping around Optimus’s frame as he eased the unconscious mech down gently. He smiled sadly once more before returning his mask, and tilting his helm to the rest of the mechs.

Ratchet immediately rushed forward, pulling his medical kit out. All the rest of them were gaping at the dark mech.

“Holy SLAG! Soundwave has a face!” Knockout exclaimed suddenly.

“Of course he does you IDIOT! Now stop gaping, and get OVER HERE!” Ratchet screamed as he worked on Optimus’s frame.

Knockout yelped, and ran to Megatron.

Arcee came up behind Ratchet, her optics wide. “What, what happened to him? Why do I, I feel his spark Ratchet.”

Bulkhead nodded as he watched the medic work.

“I don’t fragging know Arcee, I just know that spark we all feel, is suffering. We need to make it back to the Nemesis, comm Bumblebee for a bridge.”

Arcee nodded as she did what she was told, her optics staring at her Prime the whole time.

Ratchet got Optimus stabilized as best he could, and he started to make his way over to Megatron. He paused as he passed Soundwave’s silent frame. “Thank you Soundwave. I… I dunno if he will remember any of this when he wakes, but I know what I saw in his optics when he _saw_ you.” Ratchet patted the darker mech on his shoulder as he continued on.

Soundwave brought his helm to Optimus’s, and he frowned beneath his mask. **_Everything if fleeting, and hope is meaningless… isn’t it?_**

**_..........._ **

****Deep within the bowels of the Earth something stirred...


	17. Art Dragon Optimus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wasn't sure if I should post it, as we all have different imaginations and I want you to totally see Optimus the way you want to! This is just what came to my head.. well mostly anyways. My skill at drawing transformers is slooooooowly improving. The drawing from chapter..2 was my first, this is my 3rd. Ummm yeah, so anywho...lemme know whatcha think?  
> Argh, it turned out so Big! I have no idea how to fix it either curses!


	18. Long Talks...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter... something or other! Yay! Lots of chats and revelations here. Been so much action of late... I think the mechs have forgotten to look within. Kind of a filler chapter for those that haven't read the whole series... Yet hopefully... still good!

As soon as Ratchet made it over to Megatron’s frame he felt his spark clench. **_Fragger has lost way too much energon. He is dying, quickly…_**

“ARCEE! How is that ground bridge looking!?” Ratchet yelled over his shoulder as he, and Knockout worked to stem the energon loss.

“Any klik now Ratchet!” Arcee reported as she neared the medics.

“TELL HIM TO HURRY THE FRAG UP! Megatron is DYING!” Ratchet said as he worked to do quick welds on all of the smaller wounds Megatron had received from their crash. His portable welder couldn’t hope to touch the huge gash in the silver mech’s shoulder. He needed a far larger thread, and that was only available on the fragging ship!

Arcee snorted at the dying warlord, “Let him go Ratchet. The universe would be a better place without him. How many times have we hoped for just THIS, and here you are healing HIM!”

Knockout growled as he readied a heated retort, but he merely widened his optics as the Autobot medic beat him to it!

Ratchet spun on the her his optics raging, “WHAT the frag has gotten into you ARCEE!? I am a medic! I will heal any mech that is injured! Nevermind that if Megatron off-lines, OPTIMUS may as well! SO get your HELM out of your pretentious AFT, and SHUT IT! For Primus sake Arcee, you are becoming worse than Megatron these days!” He turned back to his patient, leaving the femme gaping at him.

Finally a crackle of a ground bridge was heard and Ratchet stood, “Bulkhead to ME! We need to be careful when we lift Megatron! Soundwave, can you and Arcee handle Orion?”

The dark mech nodded as he wrapped his long tendrils around Optimus’s frame as he lifted the larger mech carefully into a cradle of sorts. Arcee ran to him to help but Soundwave stomped past her, “Assistance unessential, and unwelcomed.” The darker mech grated out in his monotone voice as he followed the other mechs through the ground bridge.

Arcee, stared after him a moment before she too made her way through the bridge, guilt and perhaps shame, running through her spark.

…………………….

“Get Orion on that berth there!” Ratchet yelled to Soundwave as he helped Knockout, and Bulkhead ease Megatron down onto the first free berth they could find.

“Thank you Bulkhead but you need to get out of the med bay, you are too big! Arcee, I need you to start on more welds for Optimus! Knockout, and I candle deal with Megatron! MOVE BOTS, or we may lose them BOTH!” Ratchet immediately set up the larger welder as Knockout started a transfusion of stored energon.

“Primus, we can’t lose him Ratchet! We can’t lose him! I don’t… I can’t…” Knockout rambled as he worked, his servos shaking.

“Focus Knockout, we have this! Yup, good, good, line up that weld there! Excellent!” Ratchet nodded as he checked on the younger medics work.

To his credit the red mech didn’t complain about being led through the procedure, if anything he was grateful for the guidance as his processor spun. **_If Megatron dies, and there is no Starscream, no WAR… WHAT AM I? I have nothing left, BUT THIS! I will just be alone, alone with nothing but NIGHTMARES!!_**

“Knockout still your servos, there ya go kid.” Ratchet raised his optics to the younger mech for a klik before continuing his own work. His servos were deep into the former warlord’s chassis, slowly working to reconnect the delicate wires and fuel lines therein. He wouldn’t be able to weld the huge gash until he stopped the energon flow from within, otherwise he would be leaving Megatron to drown in his own energon.

“Frag, frag, frag! Ratchet, I can’t… there is a huge line cut back here, and I can’t reach IT!” Knockout called to his fellow medic. Ratchet growled, his audials very aware of the slowing beeps from the machines around him. He went to move around the berth when he knocked into a tray of tools, the metal pieces going everywhere! “SLAG IT! Soundwave, assist? Arcee, I need your servos over here!”

The femme picked her helm up from Optimus’s frame, her spark growing cold… **_Fix Megatron?_**

“ARCEE! You are the only one with servos small enough that can REACH!” Ratchet called desperately.

Suddenly she heard Optimus moan loudly, his reading s fluctuating on the screen next to her. **_Fine, but… ONLY for OPTIMUS!_**

She gritted her denta as she made her way to the other berth, Ratchet shoving his solder into her servos. She grimaced slightly as her digits dipped into the silver mech’s shoulder. “I don’t know if… if I can, wait yes I have it! Open the retractor Knockout, I can’t see well enough!”

Knockout rushed forward and grabbed ahold of the retractor’s handle as he carefully twisted it, opening his Lord’s wound wider.

“Good, good, now, I have… iiiiit.” Arcee laughed as she was finally able to solder the huge line back together once more!

“Well done femme!” Knockout sounded faint as he smiled at her, and she smiled back as she removed her servos. Their joy was short lived though as all the machinery around them began to beep entirely too fast!

“Ratchet! What is going on!?” Arcee cried as she stepped back, her optics wide!

“Frag it all, he is going into total system shut…” Suddenly the machine’s rapid beeping stopped, and the silver mech began to flat line.

“NO!” Arcee cried as she hurried to grab the defibrillators from across the room. As she ran back she passed a suddenly keening Soundwave as he huddled into a shaking ball near the end of Optimus’s berth.

Her pedes skidded to a stop, as she hit the switch, and Ratchet grabbed the two charges. “Clear!”

………………………………..

There was chaos going on around his aching frame. Mechs yelling at one another, and equipment beeping, a crash of metal, and worst of all was the terrible ache in his spark!

**_Why do I ache so desperately!?_ **

He tried to un-shutter his optics, his processor glitching as he struggled with all of the NOISE, and PAIN! He felt a growl grow in his chassis yet it was hardly audible over the insanity around him!

Suddenly his spark’s pain bloomed into an inferno of agony, and it wouldn’t STOOOP! He heard some mech call “Clear!” before a wretched jolt attacked his spark! He groaned, willing everything he had in him to FINALLY, un-shutter his optics!

The terrible burn in his spark made it hard to focus, but he could tell there were too many bots around one berth in the med bay he laid in.

He focused his optics, spinning the small gears until he realized the mech they were so franticly working on was none other than Megatron!

“CLEAR!” Ratchet screamed as he sent another agonizing jolt through the unconscious mech. Optimus groaned as he too felt the electrical surges. His fuzzy processor started to panic! He was no medic, but he knew they were attempting to restart the silver mech’s systems!

**_MEGATRON!?_ **

Optimus opened his field wider to his mate, his spark feeling even more anguish as he called to his mate, **/MEGATRON!! Megatron, you need to get up! Come on, love! You are stronger than THIS!... Megatron….?/**

His processor spun as franticly as his spark as he waited for a response…

Klik…

Klik…

**/MEGATRON! WAKE UP!/**

Another jolt from Ratchet.

**/Please…./**

Klik…

**/Love?/**

KLIK….

KLLLIIIIK….

Nothing…

Nothing but agony….

Ratchet suddenly noticed he was awake, his Sire’s optics filling with coolant as the machines next to his love let out an elongated alarm indicating… total system shutdown….

Optimus roared, desperately pulling his frame from his berth! The few wires that had been attached to him ripped from his protoform painfully, and he promptly fell to the floor!

“Arrrrgh!” He growled as his frame shook, his newly welded injuries splitting open.

Ratchet tried to run to him, but Optimus growled at the mech darkly, his fanged denta showing and tail whipping around him menacingly. Ratchet’s optics widened as he put his servos up, and backed away. Optimus he picked up his aching frame, and stumbled pathetically to his mate.

**_His spark hasn’t GONE OUT YET! There is HOPE! There is HOPE!_ **

Optimus’s optics were frantic as he scanned over his love! **_What can I DO!? I have to fix this! I HAVE TOO…_**

He suddenly ripped his love’s spark chamber open, and he beheld a Megatron’s deep red, shriveled spark. **_Ohhhh, Megatron…. Noooo! You will not die today! Not after everything…_**

Without thinking he placed his servos within the spark chamber, wrapping them around the withered spark. He was slightly aware of Ratchet’s pleas, and some mech tugging on him, but he ignored them all as he shuttered his optics, and focused.

**_Take some of my strength love, I give it freely… Please… Help me, heal you…_ **

He felt nothing at first, just the fire in his spark, and the acid that seemed to flow through his frame.

**/MEGATRON! I NEED YOU! PLEASE!? I… I need you… /**

He finally began to feel some warmth in his servos and as it grew, the agony that had consumed his spark began to ease.

Optimus smiled as he let whatever was coursing through his servos grow, and he stumbled a bit from the surge. A mech behind him held his frame up as he continued pouring this strange energy into his love.

Little by little his spark cooled, and the fire that had been enveloping him dwindled to merely warmth, almost akin to a fever, but it was so much better than before.

He felt his frame grow heavier as he grew weaker, his servos shaking as he felt his love’s spark expand between them. Optimus chanced a look into Megatron’s spark chamber, and laughed as he saw a large pink spark hovering within.

Suddenly the world began to tilt around him, and he let go of the spark he had healed as he stumbled back. He hadn’t even realized how desperately he was venting until he released the dying spark.

His shaking legs finally crumpled beneath him, and the mech that held him caught his weight, slowly easing him to the ground.

Optimus turned his helm to find Soundwave’s mask staring down him, and he laughed. “I saved him, Soundwave! I saved him…”

“Thank you Orion…” Soundwave answered in his own hitching voice as he held Optimus’s frame tightly, his sobs growing as he shook. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Optimus laughed as his optics filled with coolant as well, he turned his exhausted helm to Ratchet to find the old medic, Arcee, and Knockout  staring at him, optics bulging.

“Optimus… how… how the frag…” Ratchet whispered as he turned his helm over to Megatron’s now recharging frame.

Optimus smiled as he leaned back against Soundwave, his frame was exhausted, and still terribly tattered, but his spark was at ease, “I don’t know…Ratchet, but …I am grateful… for it.”

The medic nodded as he watched Optimus unconsciously snuggle into Soundwave’s frame as he slowly fell into recharge.

The room was suddenly so quiet and still. The easy, healthy beeps from Megatron’s machinery singing over the exhausted bots as they all stayed locked in whatever awe or horror the last few breems had left them with.

Knockout moaned brokenly as he sat heavily in the chair at his desk, his processor rampant in his helm, “We almost lost Lord Megatron. I…” The red medic suddenly held his helm in his servos as the reality of what almost happened hit him like a storm… “I don’t even know what I would do if he were to offline. What, what am I without Lord Megatron? What am I without this war, this struggle!?”

Ratchet looked over at the younger medic, sorrow in his optics. **_Poor mech thinks he has nothing but our war now… and, is he so wrong?_**

 He knew Breakdown had been the red bot’s bonded once, and the only reason the kid signed up in the first place. Ratchet had never met the red medic during his time with the early Decepticons. The group that came before they turned into a terrorist group after Orion took the Matrix… Yet, he had met Breakdown once, the night Orion and Megatron were attacked from those twisted enforcers… He had been a good mech then… trying to change the world for the better, like they all had been.

Ratchet shook his helm, looking at the lost mechs around him, and it all felt so familiar. **_So what are we now? Decepticons, Autobots, or… finally Cybertronians?_**

The old medic walked over to Megatron, and gently closed his chest plates. He checked the silver mech’s vitals, and shook his helm in awe, the former warlord’s readings swelled positively on the screens.

Ratchet turned, his optics falling to where Optimus and Soundwave sat propped up against a berth side. The silent mech gently caressed Orion’s helm as he held the larger mech. Optimus’s new tail moving back, and forth contentedly, his wings twitching slightly.

**_What happened to you now Orion? What else will this fragging existence demand of you?_ **

He knelt next to the two, “Soundwave, perhaps we should move Orio…”

“No.” The darker mech almost growled out as he held Optimus’s frame tighter.

Ratchet vented patiently, “He is leaking energon, Soundwave. I need to re-weld some of his injuries. Megatron is stable now, but I am worried for Orion’s injuries. Plus, I need to do some scans on his new form. You can be here the whole time if you wish.”

Soundwave’s masked helm tilted towards Optimus as his frame trembled slightly, “Almost gone… everything… Soundwave abandoned… always Soundwave...”

Ratchet’s optics grew soft, and sad, “I know. I was scared too kid, but whatever Orion did, he saved um both. Now, it is just easy stuff. Light welds, scans, observations.”

Both Knockout and Arcee watched the odd interaction between the old medic, and the _normally_ silent, apathetic darker mech.

“This war has ruined us all…” Knockout said sadly, his optics dim.

Arcee raised her optical ridge at the red mech’s words yet found herself nodding, her optics filling with coolant, “I am so tired of being angry and… and alone.”

Knockout huffed exhaustedly, “Me too…”

Soundwave finally relented as he eased his hold on the white and gold mech, Ratchet helping the larger mech to lift Optimus frame back to his berth.

Ratchet began to work on Optimus once more, Knockout and Arcee continuing on Megatron as Soundwave watched silently.

His trembling had eased yet his spark ached within his chassis. Once more he had been so close to losing them both. Yes, he didn’t truly have them as he once did, yet as he had stood watching as they faded before him, he had felt his own spark begin to collapse within him. That was until Orion, in all of his wonder, had pulled Megatron from the darkness he had been slipping into, as he always had…

“Arrgh, what the frag is this?” Ratchet exclaimed as he worked on Orion’s arm. There was a huge gash right above the mech’s subspace, and there seemed to be something stuck in the panel.

“It’s a… chain?” Ratchet pondered to himself as he grabbed some tweezers, and gently worked the obstruction from between the seams it was trapped between.

He lifted the thin chain gently looking at the pendant that hung from it before he placed it on one of the trays, and he continued his work.

Soundwave felt as if time had frozen as he stared at the broken chain. He walked numbly up to the tray, his optics growing wide as he neared the little charm.

His servos shaking, he reached for the chain, and he delicately lifted it before his mask.

Ratchet noticed him, and he tilted his head curiously. “Probably a pretty little thing once, looks Cybertronian. Wonder what kind of crystal it is, or where he got it.”

Soundwave’s optics were _huge_ beneath his mask, his venting stilled as he stared at the necklace.

“Soundwave?” Ratchet’s voice sounded concerned, and the darker mech realized the medic had stopped working, and was staring at him.

“Dappled Eminence, from Crystal City…” Soundwave’s monotone voice crackled out.

“Huh, yeah… looks familiar, just can’t place why.” Ratchet focused on Optimus once more.

Soundwave gently placed the necklace down as he turned, and made his way to the door of the med bay. Ratchet looked up, concern fleeting through his optics once more, “Soundwave?”

“Duties.” Was all the darker mech said and he left.

The three alert bots looked at one another for a moment.

Knockout’s optical ridge lifted playfully, “You know, me thinks… Soundwave wasn’t always such a stiff, and it has something to do with a certain shiny Prime.”

Arcee’s optics widened as she looked at the medic, “What are you talking about Con? Optimus, or, _Orion_ rather, was with Megatron back then.”

“Easy dear. I am merely using my _optics_. Can you not tell how _awkward_ Soundwave gets with your ever forgetful leader? Well, _more_ awkward than usual, that is. It is rather adorable really.” Knockout smiled as he continued his welding.

Arcee’s optical ridge rose as she turned her helm towards Ratchet. The older mech was pointedly focusing on anything but her. “Ratchet?”

Ratchet cleared his vocalizer, “Yes, Arcee? If you are going to ask about Optimus, or rather… Orion’s past relationship’s status I will let you know, that you can go frag yourself. That is his business, and that is the end of it.”

“SO he WAS with the two of them!” Knockout exclaimed. “Pretty risqué for a Prime! Though, not that I blame them I mean, look at him! Pfft, especially now. The things I could do with that tai…”

“KNOCKOUT!” Both bots yelled at him.

The red mech merely shrugged, “What? I am merely using my…”

“Optics! Yes we know, so use them, and keep your intake shut!” Ratchet grumbled out, his faceplates multiple shades of blue.

“Well PARDON me old mech! It has just… been a while, I am allowed to look.” His optics grew dim as his dermas fell to a frown.

Ratchet groaned as he picked up his instruments, and started for the cleaning station at the back of the med bay. “I am going to clean up and get some recharge; I suggest you two do the same.” He looked over at Knockout for a klik before disappearing behind the door.

The two bots worked in silence for a while, the tension in the air thick as they worked. Finally Arcee laughed bitterly, “I agree, it has been a while.”

Knockout lifted his optics peering at the smaller femme.

She invented as she began to wash the dried energon off of Megatron’s chassis. “Cliffjumper and I, we used to sneak away with patrols. It was always his idea, _of course_. He somehow got Prime to let us patrol together all the time.”

Knockout smiled, “Your Prime probably knew _exactly_ what you two were up to.” He appreciated her slight blush, and he laughed quietly, “Frag, Megatron did with Breakdown, and I. As long as we got the job done, he didn’t care if we had a good _shag_ along the way.”

Arcee widened her optics in surprise, “Wow, wouldn’t expect that kind of leniency from Megatron.”

Knockout hummed, his optics going to his Lord’s faceplates, “He wasn’t _always_ an evil warmonger Arcee. I met him once before his bonded, well we all thought, died. He was a completely different mech that night. Strong, and intelligent per the norm, but… he had hope then. I didn’t get to meet little Orion, but the way Megatron, or, Megatronus spoke of him…” Knockout vented as he thought of that fateful night, the night he knew for certain that everything in his life was about to change.

He shook his helm, “It had reminded me of Breakdown and I. Our bond, but those poor fraggers, they went through a lot of nasty scrap. I never met Orion back then, but I had seen pictures of him, and of course, watched their iconic march to the senate building. Mechs on the street had called Orion the Scarred Prince, and for good reason evidently. Mech’s frame looked like it had been ripped apart, and put back together by a blind, seizing insecticon! I was amazed that Megatronus would find such a mess of a bot attractive… arrogantly I suppose. I didn’t find out till muuuuch later from another mech… Grindor, perhaps?  That Orion had been taken, and tortured, all because the senate wanted to scare Megatronus out of his rebellion. Grindor said they sent Megatronus Orion’s optic in a _box_ , promising to send the rest of him piece by piece if he didn’t quit.” The red mech shivered at the thought.

“His… his optic? Holy frag…” Arcee whispered as she looked between the two unconscious mechs.

Knockout started to put his tools away, collecting them all in a tray as he turned to make it to the cleaning station. He looked towards the femme quickly, her optics glued to Megatron’s faceplates.

“This war has ruined all of us one way or the other Arcee. You can be angry, you can be _furious_ at what it has taken, but if it goes too far, and you let it control you…” His optics fell to his Lord, “You can destroy everything you were once trying to save. It is up to _you_ what _you_ become now. I mean, what would Cliffjumper want for you now?”

He smiled sadly before turning and heading towards the small room, checking on Solus’s status as he passed her. “That’s what I do at least. I know Breakdown would want me to keep going, find a way to fix Cybertron, the right way, and return home even… even if it is without him.”

Arcee nodded as she heard the mech leave, and Ratchet return, the older medic looked at her curiously. The femme hadn’t stopped staring at Megatron since he walked out.

“Arcee?” He asked gently.

“They sent him his mate’s optic… in a box?” She whispered.

Ratchet’s optics widened, “What?”

She finally looked at the older mech, coolant in her optics, “Orion’s optic, in a box.”

Ratchet vented deeply, his faceplates growing dark, “They did much, much more than just that to Orion, and Megatronus, Arcee.” He glanced at Optimus’s frame and smiled sadly, “But, that is a tale for another time. You should go rinse up.”

“Ratchet, today… Optimus called you Sire. I… I apologize, for what I said about Orion. I was wrong.” Her optics blazed with sorrow as she apologized.

Ratchet smiled at her, patting her small shoulder lightly, “I accept your apology Arcee, and yes… Orion was very much like my own sparkling. I have been with… well, _both_ of them since they were no bigger than my own servo. I have followed this magnificent mech through all of his trials, all of his pains, losses, and his hopes, comforts, smiles. Course,” He laughed bitterly. “He keeps forgetting.”

Arcee looked over at her Prime, her spark resonating with his lightly, “Well, if those flashbacks keep up, we may have them both back, as a whole.”

Ratchet’s optic dimmed once more, “I am not so certain that would be an entirely good thing, Arcee. Let’s ignore the scars that remembering the war might bring, but… some of the things Orion went through… It is a blessing he has forgotten. Slag, I wish I could forget, and I am certain, Megatron and Soundwave wish they could as well.”

Arcee smiled sadly at the medic, “Is it crazy that I almost feel bad for them, frag, all of them?” Her optics looked towards the cleaning station.

Ratchet laughed slightly, “No, Arcee… It isn’t crazy. After all, we are all just some lost sparks trying to ease the pain of existence. Some of us fight for that outwardly, and some have to fight for it within themselves. I think now that the war has… eased, we are all now facing ourselves for the first time in eons, and we all have demons we need to deal with… war does that.”

Arcee bit her lower derma as she nodded.

“Ok Arcee I am going to go recharge, you should too.” Ratchet rolled his shoulders as he made to the med bay doors.

“Ratchet! Sorry, but what the frag do you think happened to them today?” Arcee asked quickly.

The medic vented deeply, “My guess, the Fallen has finally returned, stabbed Megatron, and somehow changed Orion. Awoke him like Solus wanted to… or something like that. That gash was unlike any sword wound I have ever encountered.”

Arcee nodded, her optics dark, “Do you think Optimus killed the Fallen?”

Ratchet groaned, “Arcee… it is Optimus, what do you think?”

Arcee smiled sadly, “Yeah… I know… I know.”

She turned then and made her way to the cleaning station, her optics falling to her leader’s recharging frame briefly. **_Oh Optimus, you are too good for this world, it is no wonder you need Megatron so badly. With as much light that you carry, you need an equal darkness to balance it all out._**

……………………………..

Solus awoke around midday the next solar cycle, her helm aching like mad. **_What the frag these fools do to me now?_**

She un-shuttered her optics to find she was in the med bay of the Decepticon ship. Groaning she sat up, her servo rubbing the back of her helm gingerly as she forced her optics to focus.

Apparently there were two bots in the room with her, one being the warlord himself, and the other….

“No…” She pushed herself up and slid her legs from the berth. She tested her strength for a moment before standing. Finding she could stand, even if she was a little dizzy, he stumbled her way to the unknown mech’s berth. Every step she felt her spark grow colder, and colder…

When she finally made her way to the left side of the berth she vented deeply, she knew she was staring down at the awakened form of Primus.

“Nooo….” She moaned brokenly.

Having not been awoken by her, she knew that there was only one other way the transformation could have been triggered. Apparently her love had returned, and knew exactly what the youngest Prime had been.

“Ohhhhh Alpha Trion, Vector, Quintus… they truly are all…” She felt coolant burn in her optics but she couldn’t cry. Her mission had already been blundered so terribly, and now Primus was here, pulled forth from her twisted love, and Unicron could be waking as she stood there.

She groaned as her optics scanned over the youngest Prime. The fact that his alt-form was obviously a predacon was a bit jarring…

Predacons had always been one of the darker creatures on Cybertron. Wild, unpredictable, answering more to themselves than others, at least until it came to the Decepticons. Why would the, basically, sparkling of Primus, be a predacon!? Unless… unless it was because he had been awakened by the Fallen Prime, while he held the twisted Matrix in his spark. Who knew what other consequences that may hold for the youngest Prime… To be awakened by the vilest Prime there ever was, while he had the power of Unicron surging through him!?...

She had been told by Trion that Optimus’s change would deplete her energy drastically; she would have to give the mech added strength to support the chaotic change. Instead… he had taken Megatronus’s!

“Oh… Trion, I have failed so miserably.”

“Uhhhh….”

Solus spun as she heard Megatron begin to stir behind her, her optics glowering down at the silver mech as his optics opened.

Megatron’s shoulder throbbed as he came out of recharge. He looked over to see Solus standing next to his berth, her optics blazing with blame, or fury… some kind of negative emotion he had no desire to deal with right now.

“Frag off, Solus.” He growled out as he pushed his aching frame into a sitting position. His servo rubbed at his newly welded plating as he caught sight of an unknown mech on the berth across from him, and dread filled his spark.

“What… what happened!?” His voice strangled out, and he pushed himself up moving towards what he knew to be his love’s altered frame.

Solus growled, “That is what I wish to know! He has been awakened! He is in one of his final FORMS! How the frag did that HAPPEN!?”

Megatron spun on the femme, his sharp denta grating against one another. “I obviously have no idea, you stupid femme, or why would I bother asking you the same thing!”

Suddenly the door to the med bay opened, and Knockout came swaggering in, “Ahhh my Lord, I thought I heard yelling and I knew…” His red optics skirted around his leader to spy Solus glaring at him. “Oh, peachy.  I get to deal with both of you…  at the same time…” He mumbled the last part quietly.

Megatron growled at him, “What happened Knockout!?.

The red medic looked at him curiously, “Well actually, Lord Megatron, we were hoping one of you could fill in those holes. From our end, you both disappeared for breems. Longer than even a… moment _alone_ would call for, if you get my _meaning_ …” His Lord glared at him dangerously, and Solus looked confused.

He cleared his vocalizer, “ANYWHO!…  Soundwave got twitchy, then Ratchet did, then the Autobots, and POOF! There we were at the face of the cave, deciding about search parties when this… fragging _monster_ came soaring out of the top of it! We followed were it _immediately_ crashed to, his skills in flight are lacking… to say the least, and that is where we found you and, uhhh, Optimus, my lord. Once Soundwave saved us all from being eaten by your _charming_ mate, we gathered you here.”

Knockout looked at the silver mech his optics growing dim suddenly, and Megatron could swear he saw genuine concern in the smaller mech’s optics.

“We almost lost you, Lord Megatron.” The medic’s voice was quiet, and somber. “You had lost so much energon that even with a transfusion, you were about to go into total shut down… BUT THEN, Optimus comes over, sticks his servos in your fragging CHEST, and like MAGIC, you were stabilized! Not only were you stabilized, but all of your readings were off the CHARTS! And, AND… that isn’t even the oddest part my Lord! Your spark! It has gone from its normally… lovely shade of fleshling’s blood, to pink! Almost like, and I am uncertain… like, like it was not just being healed Lord, but purified!”

Megatron stared at his medic, his processor reeling with what he had just been told. If it weren’t for the completely serious look in the medic’s optics, and Optimus’s glittering new frame he would have laughed. He could feel Solus’s optics burning into the side of his helm like a laser.

“Yes _Prime_?” he snarled as he turned towards her.

“Megatronus, you found him, didn’t you?” Solus asked, her optics blazing, but her voice was low.

Megatron nodded, “Yes, he was the source of energy we went to investigate. I know he rammed his cursed blade through my shoulder, and at some point grabbed Optimus, and then there was this terrible pain. After that, I remember nothing…”

All three bots looked at Optimus’s inert frame.

“Primus has awoken, on Earth, by the Fallen… I have failed so terribly.” Solus whispered grimly.

Megatron looked over to her, his optics blazing, “What do you mean _femme_!? You got what you wanted, just through unexpected steps.”

Solus growled, “I thought you were smarter than that Megatron! Think for a moment, who is within Earth’s core, and who _hasn’t_ immediately been connected to Primus since his emergence? I am sure you feel it too!”

Knockout nodded slightly, “Yes, seems a strange thing really. Like something I haven’t felt… in a long time. I suppose we all should have guessed the Big O was Primus reincarnate, he does seem to have a godly air about him, doesn’t he?”

Solus nodded, “That is the natural connection to Primus all Cybertronian’s share, even Primes do, and… so does Unicron! So, not only may we have awakened him once more, but Optimus’s change was done by The Fallen, who has tainted the Matrix, with Unicron’s blood! I… I think that is the reason for his alt-form as well… but I am uncertain. Arrrgh! There is so much I do not KNOW! It should be Alpha Trion leading him through this ALL, not me! You say he healed Megatron’s spark, purified it slightly, with his SERVOS!? I have no idea what that is about! I am so terribly unprepared for this, and two of the most WRETCHED creatures in the UNIVERESE are possibly awake, and ready to destroy EVERYTHING!”

Knockout looked at his leader, “Perhaps Optimus took care of Megatronus for us? I mean, how else would he escape with you?”

Megatron huffed yet it was Solus who answered, “No, he lives… I can feel his side of our bond… Yet he is terribly weakened. Not surprising given the amount of energy he would have had to give Optimus for the transition.”

Megatron growled at that. The mere though that monster’s energy was coursing through his love frightened, and enraged him.

Suddenly Megatron noticed a small pendant on one of the tray beside Optimus’s berth. His optics widened as he approached the tiny thing, memories fleeting through his processor.

“He kept it, after all this time?” He mumbled as he picked up the necklace gently. It wasn’t nearly as glamorous as it had been the first time he had seen it wrapped around his mate’s neck… 

The first time he had seen it was so very long ago, when he had returned from his travels to find Soundwave had developed feelings for Orion during his absence, and given his mate the little trinket. At the time… Megatron had been furious, jealous, and the fight he and Orion had ended with Soundwave pointing his blaster in his leader’s faceplates, demanding the silver mech let Orion go…

It had all worked out in the end though, and they had created a wonderful trine, all waiting for the day where they could stop fighting for others, and have a family of their own…

Megatron tucked the necklace into his subspace as he turned to leave, “I must see Soundwave. There will be full patrols from here on out, every mech must be ready for anything. Knockout, I want you to take some of the more, capable vehicons, and begin to teach them basic medical procedures, Ratchet will help as well.”

“Are we, Preparing for another war, Lord Megatron?” Knockout asked as his leader moved to the med bay doors.

“I am unsure what is to come now Knockout, yet I think... we may be on the right side of it all.” Megatron made his way into the hall, Solus following after him.

He looked at her, irritation filtering through his optics for a moment.

The Prime vented, “I may not know much about Primu…”

“Optimus, Solus.” Megatron grated out darkly. “Though he may have been a part of Primus, he has experienced a life for himself, and deserves to be recognized as an individual.”

Solus rolled her optics, “Fine, I do not know much about Optimus’s transition, BUT I do know one way I can help. I can forge your team some of the most powerful weapons they have ever beheld.”

Megatron stopped at that his optics falling to the smaller Prime’s, “Hmmm, yes that would give us a tactical advantage… Yet, we have limited materials.”

“Then I shall travel to Cybertron through portal!  I can carry a few creations through with me as well, to help gather the supplies.” Solus smiled up at him, her failures, and guilt lessening as she felt her hope grow! Maybe she was no great teacher for Primu… Optimus, but she knew how to create! That skill, that ADVANTAGE, could be the very thing that could change the tide of this chaos!

Megatron nodded, “We also have the space bridge, if need be.  Solus… how much time do you think we have before Unicron awakens fully? How will we beat him, without the Matrix?”

She frowned, “I do not know how much time we have, so we must act swiftly. As for how we beat him… Optimus will have to come to get to know his powers better. He must be able to utilize them in stopping Unicron. As for Megatronus… I think now, that he is weakened... it would be the best time to destroy him. That is of course IF he has not already escaped to some slimy part of the Universe to lick his wounds.”

Megatron nodded, “My thoughts exactly Solus. I will speak with Soundwave over this. He and I shall fly over, cautiously, and do some scans… Though, given how long it has been, and his intelligence, I am certain he would have retreated by now if capable.”

As the silver mech entered the command deck his soldiers all bowed. “I need eight volunteers’ bots. Four to assist our medical staff and be trained in basic aid, and four to travel with Solus Prime to Cybertron for supplies.”

Immediately he had more than enough volunteers, and he selected from the bots who would go where. Solus nodded her thanks as she left with her four, making their way to the supply room to prepare for their mission.

The other four vehicons went off to the med bay, and Megatron strode up to his second in command. “Soundwave,” He started as Soundwave spun towards him, apparently so lost in his own processor, he hadn’t noticed his Lord’s approach, or earlier orders.

“Lord Megatron!” Soundwave bowed to his leader.

Megatron laughed. “Please Soundwave, there is no need for that!” The darker mech tilted his helm curiously at his Lord. “I need you to accompany me to the site of the energon signal. I want to see if the Fallen is still there.”

“Negative Lord Megatron. Laserbeak surveilling area. No energy sources or life signals collected.”

Megatron scowled, “Are you certain of this Soundwave?”

“Affirmative, Lord Megatron.”

Megatron growled, “The coward retreated… Well, I suppose we should be grateful in a way. There is much we must do to prepare for what is coming.”

Soundwave nodded his helm. “Good, to see you functioning.”

Megatron smiled grimly, “Yes, seems to be thanks to Optimus’s newfound identity.”

“Affirmative.”

The silver mech looked away for a moment, “Is he still him Soundwave? I still feel our bond but… has he gone once more?” Megatron’s voice was steady, but Soundwave knew his leader, his friend was terrified.

“Negative, changes only outward.”

Megatron visually relaxed, “Thank Primus…” He laughed at that. “Evidently Orion was truly a gift of Primus after all Soundwave.”

“Affirmative, spark.” Soundwave stated simply.

Megatron tilted his helm, “You know?”

“Suspicions. Solus, awakening, changes, attachment to spark.”

Megatron nodded, “Yes, I suppose even I feel rather foolish for not seeing it all… Ahh.. Soundwave, I found something you need to see. Come with me.”

Curious the darker mech followed his Lord out of the command deck, moving to one of the quieter halls.

The silver mech opened his subspace, and pulled out the chain and pendant.

Soundwave stepped back from the offering, his vocalizer moaning brokenly.

Megatron looked at his oldest friend, “Ahh, you have seen it already.”

Soundwave turned his back to his leader, his spark racing in his chassis. “Affirmative.”

Megatron lowered his arm, “So, you still wish to remain alone Soundwave?”

Soundwave’s servo unconsciously went to pet Laserbeak just to  remember his little creation was off on his mission. “Megatron, I…”

“MEGATRON!” Optimus’s voice suddenly echoed throughout the hall and the two mechs turned towards the approaching mech. Soundwave’s faceplates blanched as he saw the necklace still in his Lord’s servo and he quickly ripped it from the other’s digits.

Optimus smiled broadly as he trotted up to the pair, “Thank Primus! You are alright!” Optimus threw his arms around his bonded.

Megatron smiled, “Thanks to you, love.” He leaned his helm against Optimus as his arms tightened around his mate’s odd frame.

Optimus pulled his helm back, pressing his dermas to Megatron’s quickly. “I almost lost you…” Optimus whispered as he brought his bright silver and white optics to Megatron’s red ones.

Megatron nodded, his optics falling to Soundwave’s silent frame, before turning back to his love. “I know… Yet, here I stand. I told you, I am hard to kill.”

Optimus frowned as he stepped back, “Not that hard Megatron! Do not make light of this…. please. If I hadn’t had these, these powers you would not be standing here now!”

Megatron smiled as Optimus yelled at him in his stoic, disapproving way. Optimus bared his denta in frustration and Megatron was surprised to see four fangs adorning his mate’s jaws. “Optimus, you have fangs…” Megatron looked closer at his love.

Optimus groaned, “Yes, it seems many things have changed.” The Prime sounded disheartened.

Megatron smiled softly, “I think you are glorious looking, my love.”

His mate growled, and it almost sounded bestial, “It seems every time I get a pede ahead, and become accustomed to something, it is immediately ripped away from me, and replaced with something completely different.”

Megatron nodded as he scanned his mate’s form, “You have wings, fangs, and… is that a tail?”

Optimus blushed bright blue, “Yes… it i _s_ a tail. I have to wrap it around my waist otherwise I trip over the cursed thing! I nearly fell four times on the way here!”

A small chuckle from Soundwave made the couple turn towards the darker mech, and Soundwave instantly berated himself for bringing attention to himself.

 Optimus smiled apologetically at him, “Greetings Soundwave. I apologize for not acknowledging you earlier. I was rather worried about Megatron being out of berth too soon.”

“Understood,” Soundwave nodded as he turned to make his way back to the command center.

Optimus dropped his helm as the spy bot ran from him once again, and Megatron gritted his denta.

“Soundwave! Don’t you have something to return to Optimus?” The silver mech called out lightly.

Optimus looked at his mate inquisitively for a moment before turning back to Soundwave.

Soundwave had frozen, his servos fisting as anger filled his frame, anger and terror! How dare Megatron call him out like this! He should understand! He should respect his CHOICES!

Optimus brought his narrowed optics up to Megatron, “What did you do?”

Megatron looked at the Prime innocently, “I am insulted my Prime. He merely has something of yours that needs returning. I must get back to things now though, Optimus. Perhaps later I can investigate this new form later, more meticulously?” He bent and kissed his mate’s helm, and swiftly headed off in the opposite direction of his second in command.

Optimus’s faceplates flared with embarrassment, and a little anticipation at his mate’s words, but his spark chilled quickly as he turned back to Soundwave. The darker mech still hadn’t moved, and his frame was trembling slightly.

Optimus vented deeply, “It is no matter, Soundwave… You can go. I apologize for him putting you on the spot like that.”

Finally the darker mech spun around, his helm lowered almost shamefully as he presented his gift. Optimus smiled as he extended his servo, and a small pendant and chain fell into his palm.

He tilted his helm curiously at the trinket, “I… I am sorry Soundwave. I do not believe this is mine, I have never seen it before.”

Soundwave merely stood there, his masked helm shielding any hint of emotion, his field pulled tight.

Optimus shifted on his pedes uncomfortably, “Uhhh… at least I do not remember seeing it before. Do… do you want it back?”

Soundwave’s frame shook slightly as he turned from the Prime.

The white mech’s wings twitched as he waited for a response, guilt riding through his systems as he subspaced the mysterious chain. “Ahhh, perhaps Soundwave… you could help me with something instead, if you are not busy.”

The darker mech’s shoulders seemed to ease for a moment, his helm turning back slightly.

“I asked Knockout if I was able enough to practice flying and, he gave me clearance as long as I go with Megatron, or… you. Since it seems Megatron is busy, I was wondering if…”

“Negative, duties.” Soundwave’s voice was low, and full of static.

Optimus felt his spark deflate instantly, “Of course… my apologies. I won’t bother you further.” He spun on his heel as he turned from the darker mech. He began to hear the pedes of Soundwave walk away from him… as always…

“Why do you hate me, Soundwave?” He whispered to himself, surprised to hear the black and blue mech stop walking.

**_Slag, did he hear me?_ **

Optimus immediately continued on his path to… nowhere really, his spark hammering in his chassis.

As he moved through the ship he growled at himself! The stress of everything falling upon him once more. He still didn’t know any mech well, he was supposed to be some epic GOD, save a planet somehow, his entire frame had been altered, the Fallen was out there somewhere, Unicron perhaps waking beneath his PEDES, Soundwave RAN from him constantly, he was having wretched FLASBACKS,  his team didn’t TRUST HIM, and he couldn’t even keep himself from tripping over his OWN FRAGGIN TAIL!?

“ARRRRRGH!” He growled louder. The ship was too small! He had been stuck here too long! He needed air! He needed to be free!

He found himself running down the halls of the Nemesis then. **_Frag THIS PRISON! I need to GET OUT!_**

He vented desperately as he threw the hanger door open, and he transformed immediately! He felt his plating and gears whirl around him as he became his predacon form once more! He stretched his long neck as he walked out along the top of the Nemesis, the cool air brushing against his heated platting blissfully.

He felt his processor begin to run his new programs once more, and he shook his great helm, his super fine optics scanning the skies around him.

**_I can do this! Let go Optimus, and just feel!_ **

He spread his wings carefully, just letting the wind coast over the sensitive protoform, and thin cabling they were made from. He felt as the wind forced his frame to move with it, and he lifted off of the roof for a moment, testing how to tilt and recover, before he dropped back down.

His muzzle smiled as he continued the small exercise, pushing higher as he grew more, and more confident. Finally after what seemed like breems he made his way to the back of the ship. His long neck extending out as he peered over the edge of the ship, the ground was SO far away!

He pulled his frame back, as well as his field; he didn’t want Megatron to grow worried over his fear. He needed THIS! He needed to not be so terribly reliant upon them all! He needed a moment of freedom,! Where he didn’t have to look into all of their sad, angry, disappointed faceplates! Where if he failed… it would only be on HIM!

He roared loudly as he ran forward, pushing past his fears, his anger, his losses, his FAILURES to EVERY MECH that ONCE meant something to HIM, and soared out into the open air…

He fought the terror in his spark as he forced his wings to extend, trying to move with the wind rather than fight it! He was having a far easier time of it all this time, perhaps because he wasn’t holding his dying mate, _and_ it was his second time.

His sharp denta showed as he smiled, his shimmering frame long, and sleek as he glided across the sky!

**_This is incredible! This, THIS… is what I needed!_ **

He experimented as he changed his wing formation and he began to spin amongst the clouds! He roared in delight, his spark light, singing!

His mind wandered as he flew, his optics watching the landscape roll beneath him. He thought of Megatron, and his spark soared once more! He thought of how he love almost off-lined last night, and his spark sank. He thought of how Megatron had become so wretchedly broken, and his spark ached.

Thank Primus the group had come to find them! He was certain Megatron would have died in his arms had they not shown up!

He remembered being scared of the mechs at first, his frame growling even now, as he remembered how protective he had felt as they approached. His spark in agony with his love’s pain when… Soundwave stepped forward?

Optimus dropped a bit as he realized he had forgotten Soundwave had eased his fears. How the darker mech had held his servo out to him, called him… dear one, used his true voice… taken off his mask… his deep violet optics so loving, and patient. He had tried to to ease Optimus’s spark just as he had…. so long ago.

Optimus ROARED as the back of his helm exploded in agony! The world melting away as he fell from the sky!

This memory was so much different than those before, perhaps because Soundwave had so many more moments with him!?

 He saw Soundwave sitting across from him laughing for the first time as they spoke quietly, he saw them sitting by an oil fire as they sipped on energon, he saw when Soundwave admitted that he loved him, he saw them in a small sealed room making love… vigorously! He saw them shopping in a market place somewhere, he saw Soundwave open a city smelter as he carried the tiny frame of a dead sparkling to its flames… He saw Soundwave stand before Megatron protecting him from his mate, he saw Soundwave crying for some unknown reason, he saw when Soundwave had presented the very necklace he had been given today…

Optimus roared as the world came tumbling back to him! His optics bulged as he realized how close to the ground he truly was! He spread his wings wide, but his fall was too fast, and all they did was slow him slightly as the ground rushed up to meet him!

 ** _This will shatter my frame…_** was his last thought as he shuttered his optics and felt an awful impact slam into his frame, and the world turned black…


	19. Wings to Freedom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I hope you enjoy, it is shorter, but mostly focused on two mechs... I will say this fic is first and foremost about Optimus, and Megaton but... well here it is... sappy crap and all that jazz. Have some good music available haha. Also sorry for errors it's late and my bed calls to me!

Soundwave made his way back to the command deck quietly. He strode to his familiar, safe screens… and stood there. Just, stood there.

His spark was in turmoil, his processor wracked with insecurities, and he felt the walls he had built, and maintained for so long… begin to shatter.

Since Optimus had come aboard the Nemesis they had been crumbling, actually… since the moment Megatron had said he felt Orion’s spark bond really…

When Orion had been more present in Optimus’s frame after he lost the Matrix, it had not been like that. Megatron had not regained his bond, so they were skeptical about it all, though until then, none of them had realized Orion was still alive _within_ the Prime.

Megatron had been torn deeply as Orion pointed his weapons at him, and then left with the Autobots once again.

No he hadn’t felt the bond, but knowing at least a piece of Orion remained made it hard to deal with. There had been a hard month of ‘episodes’ for his friend after that. Soundwave ever vigilant, watching his Lord recharge every night, there to ease the pain, like he had so long ago.

 Soundwave had remained blissfully numb during that time, it had been easy. With Megatron’s mistrust of the confused mech, he had kept him locked tight in the room he studied from, and there had been no return of the bond… This time was… so different, so much more real, tangible.

So now here he stood, the storm of emotions he had held behind his great walls breaking through like one of Earth’s hurricanes. He gripped his aching spark as a comm broke through his dark thoughts.

 **:Soundwave, I will be traveling with Solus to gather supplies, there are some things I would like to investigate.:**  Megatron’s voice rang through his helm.

Soundwave gritted his denta, he was still upset with what happened in the hall, but he kept his reply as emotionless as ever.

**:Affirmative.:**

**:Could you let Optimus know where I will be as well? I have tried through our bond, and comm, yet it seems he is either ignoring me, or has them off.:**

His leader’s voice sounded slightly irritated, and Soundwave immediately felt guilty. Not because of Megatron, but because how he had been treating Optimus. **_He turned off all communication, even with Megatron? Perhaps he was more upset than I realized…_**

**:Affirmative.:**

**:Thank you, Soundwave. I will return soon. Keep an optic on Optimus if… if you can. He has much on his shoulders, and though the Prime has always found a way to stoically move forward, Orion is a part of him now… Please, Soundwave. Keep him safe in my absence.:** Megatron’s voice almost sounded like it was pleading in Soundwave’s helm.

The dark mech gritted his denta harder, all of this echoing with hints of the past.

**:Affirmative.:**

**:Thank you my friend. Could you send these coordinates to the space bridge, we are leaving now.:**

**:Affirmative, sent.:**

The comm ended and Soundwave vented heavily. He made to f _inally_ start working once again when he noticed a recurring blink across his screen. That particular light indicated that the hanger doors had been opened. His optics narrowed, and he brought up the visual feed of that area. His optics widened as he saw Optimus in his predacon form up on the roof.

He watched as the sleek beast seemed to be practicing with his wings; the earlier guilt he felt growing within his spark. He watched Optimus grow more, and more confident, and he found himself smiling proudly. That smile grew as the creature lifted his helm and roared gloriously when he succeeded in controlling his frame when the wind made him falter.

Suddenly Optimus began walking towards the edge of the ship, and Soundwave felt his spark skip in fear…

Luckily the predacon moved backwards just as quickly. **_Good Orion, keep your senses about you, it is far too early for you to practice from this…_**

His spark near fell into his tanks as he watched Optimus roar, run forwards at top speed, and throw himself into open air!

 “ORION!!!” Soundwave screamed as he immediately turned, and bolted through the command center. Bots of all sorts jumped out of his way as he surged towards the docking doors.

**_You FOOL! YOU STUPID, STUPID FOOL! You are going to DIE, and it is all my selfish FAULT!_ **

**_………………….._ **

When Soundwave jumped franticly from the same edge Optimus had, he transformed and immediately scanned the skies, but he received no energy signals at ALL. He had forgotten that when they arrived at the cave, he had only been to pick up Megatron’s signal as well.

It was if Optimus’s signature was completely hidden from any kind of instrument they possessed.

Pushing his panic down, Soundwave reached for the only thing he could, his bond with the god that resided in Orion. Waiting to feel anything felt like an eternity when _finally_ , he felt a pull.

He instantly blasted off towards the sensation, following his spark to find his old love. The irony of the situation was missed _entirely_ as he realized his was only flying DOWN! **_NO! WHY is he so LOW!?_**

He burned his engines hotter as he raced through the thin air. Finally he got a visual, and his spark thundered painfully as he watched Orion’s frame roll, and spin towards the ground limply.

“NO! NOOOOOOO!” Soundwave SCREAMED as he pushed himself faster than he ever had before. He speared through the growing winds, his entire being focused on the falling mech before him 

“ARRRRRRGH!” He felt his HUD system scream error messages at him. He was burning too fast, too hot, and his fans couldn’t keep this pace. He would stall out soon.

**_I will make it! I HAVE TO MAKE IT!_ **

His spark soared as he grew closer, hope growing in him when suddenly Optimus’s wings fanned out, the mech having woken from whatever stasis his frame had fallen into.

Soundwave tried to slow his wild descent as Optimus’s own flight had slowed just slightly, but it was enough of a difference that when Soundwave finally made it to his love, he didn’t just catch him, he SLAMMED into the poor mech at an incalculable speed!

“ARRRGH!!” Soundwave’s frame shuttered from the impact and sudden weight as he fought through the pain.

 He tried to keep Orion steady on the wing that had caught him, AND pull up from the approaching ground.

“AHHHHHHHHH!” He lifted the nose of his frame, and soared across the sands, his frame so close to the ground that his engines burned the terrain beneath him.

He groaned as he slowed his mad dash, slowly easing from his speeds so he wouldn’t throw Orion from his frame.

 Unfortunately, the more he slowed… the less wind pressure there was against Orion’s back and as Soundwave tilted slightly to avoid a boulder, the unconscious predacon slipped from his wing.

Luckily Soundwave had been traveling far slower, and was still close to the ground, yet he couldn’t help but cringe at the crunch of Orion’s frame as he landed.

Once the creature’s weight had disappeared from his right side, Soundwave’s frame violently shifted! It tilted to the other side so quickly it made the mech dizzy, and he transformed in the air to avoid crashing into any of the taller terrain.

His pedes hit the ground hard, his frame rolling with his momentum until finally he slid to a stop.

For a moment he merely laid there, his vents rapid and his fans roaring in his frame. Steam came from his jets as they sizzled angrily against the sands.

He raised his dizzy helm, his optics searching when he finally spotted Orion’s form not so far from his.

He groaned as he pushed his frame up, his legs shaking terribly beneath him as he stumbled up to the unmoving creature.

As he neared Orion, he groaned miserably.  He immediately spotted fresh energon pooling from the beast’s helm. Evidently its helm had smashed against the back of Soundwave’s frame when he slammed into him. He also noticed a huge dent across the predacon’s chest plates where his wing had caught him.

The creature’s optics were shuttered as it vented brokenly, its frame shuddering with each puff of air.

Soundwave wasn’t sure what to do? Call a ground bridge perhaps? Bulkhead and he could probably drag the creature in… Ratchet was going to be so angry with Orion…

Suddenly the creature vented deeper, and Soundwave turned his masked helm to find its optics opened slightly, and it stared at him sadly.

“Orion?” Soundwave started gently.

The great beast rumbled painfully as it shuttered its optics, and began to push itself up.

“Orion, movement illogical!” Soundwave cried out, but Orion merely growled as he approached.

Optimus watched Soundwave cease his approach after he growled, and he felt bad for it, but only a little. His frame felt awful once more, and he began to wonder when the last time was that he wasn’t in some sort of agony, whether it be his spark, or frame…

His processor reeled from his most recent flashback, and the misery he was feeling in his spark hurt more than his frame.

He now knew why he was always at peace with Soundwave, why he went to him after his other flash back, why he snuggled into him so easily after last night, why he had a connection with the darker mech from the start, and yet… Soundwave only ran from him. Always ran…

Of course it had to be Soundwave to save him as he fell, OF COURSE IT DID! He roared suddenly, the darker mech still as he watched him.

**_He wants nothing to do with ME! HE HASN’T THIS WHOLE TIME!_ **

Optimus didn’t blame him really. He could only imagine what the other mech had gone through, much like Megatron… **_Why must I HURT them ALL!?_**

He whimpered slightly as he turned his long form, and began to walk away from the other mech. Though he was outside, the air fresh, and landscape vast, he felt trapped once again.

“Optimus, med bay.” Soundwave insisted, his monotone voice slightly shaken.

The predacon ignored the other mech, and continued to stumble from him. He didn’t want to hurt this mech any further than he had already, he wouldn’t mention that he remembered him. That he remembered the feelings with such clarity now… That he remembered the other mech’s smile, the feel of his gentle servos, the comfort of his arms, the…

Optimus moaned, its sad rumble echoing the agony in his spark as he prepared to spread his wings once more.

“Optimus, negative! Return to med bay!” Soundwave’s voice grew more desperate as he stepped in front of the beast.

Optimus brought his great helm down to Soundwave’s, his white optics blazing defiantly as he bared his denta at the smaller mech, and snarled.

Soundwave didn’t move, “Negative!”

Optimus felt his chaotic spark crackle with _fury._ He would leave this mech be, let him remain numb, play his game of apathy, but Soundwave needed to respect what he needed TOO!

His great helm pulled back as he invented deeply before he ROARED at the smaller mech, his clawed pede pushing the dark mech down into the sands, his masked helm titled up between his claws.

“Orion…” Soundwave’s true voice filtered through Optimus’s audials finally, “Forgive me. I do not hate you…”

Optimus froze, his helm within a vent of the others mech’s, and unwittingly he whimpered.

Soundwave lifted his one free servo up, its long digits reaching up to Optimus’s helm. He hesitated for only a moment before he gently caressed the side of the beautiful creature’s helm. “I am so very sorry for how I have treated you. Could you transform dear one, so that we may speak?”

Optimus’s spark roiled within him, he was angry, lost, confused, so very tired of all these talks. Talks that led to more questions, new pains, more impossible responsibilities, more failures, more tears…

He moved from the darker mech, pulling his pede off the smaller mech, and his helm away. He backed up, his exhausted frame falling as he sat on his haunches. He lowered his helm, wings hanging dejectedly, and his tail wrapped tightly around him.

Soundwave pulled himself up to a sitting position, his optics rising to see the creature’s miserable posture. **_Oh Orion… I see you in there… I am so sorry love…_**

He forced himself to stand and he positioned himself in front of Orion’s sagging helm; the other’s optics didn’t rise from the ground before him.

“Orion… please transform? I know I do not deserve to request anything of you, but I… I…”

Suddenly the beast’s form shuddered and the familiar sound of moving gears and plating was heard as Orion transformed.

When the transition was complete Orion’s glittering gold and white frame was revealed, the silent mech on his knees before Soundwave. He kept his optics down and battle mask in place as Soundwave crouched in front of him.

“Thank you…” The darker mech said softly.

“Soundwave, I am fine with you wanting nothing to do with me. I respect your choices, and will not hinder you with my… _existence_ if I can help it.” Optimus raised his helm, his optics clear, yet void of emotion as he numbly said the words.

Soundwave was taken aback from this display of apathy, his monotone tone, and the lifelessness in his optics. This wasn’t Orion, or Optimus, it was as if he was looking into a mirror image of his own faceplates, masked and empty.

**_Is this what I have looked like to him? Why is he shutting off in front of me after all this time? Why is he hiding from me suddenly? Was today the last strand? Was it his failed flight? The stress from all of it or…_ **

“You had a flashback?” Soundwave’s voice was a whisper as terror, and UNBEARABLE hope ran through him.

Optimus merely stared at him unflinchingly, “Yes, it is what triggered my descent.”

Soundwave’s frame began to tremble, and he forced his vents to remain even, “What… what was it…”

“Unimportant.” Once more that terrible monotone voice erupted from Optimus’s vocalizer.

Soundwave flinched at the sound of that simple yet so very complicated word, and all he could hear was himself.

“Orion…” The darker mech started as Optimus forced himself to stand.

“Come Soundwave, I am certain something needs my attention once more. I have been away from my duties for too long.” The white mech lowered his helm to Soundwave’s trembling frame, “As have you.” With that he turned his back on the darker mech, and prepared to call for a ground bridge.

Soundwave felt his walls shuddering inside him as his frame began to rock. **_What have I done to him!? Does he… does he finally remember me!? Just to force himself into apathy… BECAUSE OF THE WAY I HAVE TREATED HIM!? What I have SHOWN him since he arrived!? Of course he would hide it! HE THINKS I HATE HIM!_**

Optimus paused as he heard a broken keen sound behind him, and he turned to find Soundwave rocking slowly. The darker mech had yet to rise, and seemed to have fallen to his knees.

Optimus felt a pull of sympathy for the mech, but he was far too at peace within the haze emptiness he had created. “Soundwave, are you well? Do you require me to carry you?”

The darker mech raised his helm, his venting ragged. **_I have been trying so hard to not feel, not get attached, and in the end I have pushed him so far he has disappeared before me… Disappeared entirely. No hopeful warmth of Orion, no caring strength of Optimus… He is a shell now…_**

Soundwave pushed himself to his pedes, and  stared at what he had created. “Orion, forgive me love.”

Optimus merely stared at him, his optics held no anger, no disgust, nothing, “There is nothing to forgive Soundwave, and you do not need to pretend to love me. Yes, I have remembered who you are, yet I will respect your wishes.”

Soundwave stumbled at the words, **_He remembers me… He REMEMBERS ME!?_** Fear filled his spark, but light crept at the corners of his shattered walls.

Optimus opened his subspace and pulled the delicate chain from it. He walked forward as he extended his open servo to the shaking mech. His masked helm lifted to the mask before him, “Keep this Soundwave, so that you remember him, remember him the way he was, when you loved him.”

Soundwave’s spark shattered at the words… **_Remember him the way he was when I loved him? Ohhh… Orion, Optimus… I am so sorry…_**

Soundwave keened as suddenly ripped his mask off, and lunged at his love! He wrapped his arms around the white mech tightly. “Please, that isn’t it! I swear! I was just afraid, my love! I was afraid to lose you again!!! I AM A COWARD! That is all, my dear, dear one! I have hidden from you SELFISHLY! PLEASE, PLEASE don’t disappear on me! I am so terribly SORRY!”

Optimus allowed the smaller mech to hold him, and he lightly patted the other mech’s back plates, yet nothing truly was reaching him at the moment. In so many ways he welcomed the blanket of apathy. Too much had been happening around him, and he had no control of all of it.

The world was breaking apart, and he would fix it… He would always do his duty.

“It is alright Soundwave. I understand. Truly I…”

“NO!” Soundwave’s voice sounded angry, desperate! “No, I cannot let you fall to it! Not because of ME! NEVER BECAUSE OF ME!”

“Soundwave please calm yourself, all is..”

Suddenly Soundwave lips moved to Optimus’s neck cables, and he kissed the crook of his neck softly.

Optimus’s frame stiffened, “Soundwave, what are you…”

The darker mech brought his helm up to the taller mech’s, “I love you Optimus! All that you are, in this moment! I have been a fool, a coward, and I will NOT allow you to hide your light from this world! It is comfortable there, safe feeling but so very, very lonely.” His violet optics peered into Optimus’s deeply, his spark soaring as he saw a flash of uncertainty. “You gave me bravery, strength, love, and hope once. I almost took that from you today, allow me to rectify my foolish mistake dear one.”

Optimus felt an ache begin in his spark, ”Soundwave, I told you all is well. I… ahhhh…” Soundwave’s glossa licked at his neck cables, his servos roaming over Optimus’s new frame gently.

“Optimus, I love you. Please forgive my foolishness, life is too cold already. I don’t want to be alone anymore, I never did. Please, may we bring some warmth to one another, some safety once again?” Soundwave’s vents grew heavier as he licked, and nipped at the larger mech’s neck.

Optimus’s spark was ragged in his chest, his processor begging to stay empty of those memories, to just focus on his duties, what was expected of him! What the universe expected of HIM! Yet, those comfortable, gentle servos were all too familiar now, those soft lips well known once, through kisses and smiles. That voice pulled at memories of stories and laughter, and his optics… a beautiful blend of blue and deep purple, they held such sadness, and such love…

“Arrrrgh, Soundwave… please I… I don’t know… what…”

“Please… kiss me Optimus? It has been so long since I have felt your lips…” Soundwave’s voice sounded husky, pleading.

“Soooundwave,” The Prime felt his frame shudder at the sound of the other mech’s pleas, his wings twitching against his back.

“Please dear one? Forgive me my weakness. I was so afraid of being left alone once more, that I didn’t realize I had left you to that same fate.” Soundwave felt coolant form in his optics as Optimus finally released his mask.

“I never meant to.. to forget you Soundwave… I never meant to.. to f..for..forget a..a..anything.” Optimus’s frame hitched as the shield he had begun to build crumbled around him. He sank to his knees, Soundwave easing his fall as he held him. The Prime began to sob, and Soundwave felt his spark break at the sound of it.

Yes, Soundwave had seen Optimus cry before, after his first awful flashback. Yet, it hadn’t been nearly as pained, as terrible sounding as this time.

The great mech held his helm as he bent forwards, his frame aching with the force of his hitches. He rocked as he cried, his frame shaking. “Ooooh Soundwave! What else have I so easily FORGOTTEN! I don’t remember my team! I don’t remember my Sire. I don’t remember being a PRIME! I don’t remember ORION! I don’t REMEMBER OPTIMUS! I DON’T REMEMBER MEGATRON! WHO AM I!?” He wailed as he curled into Soundwave’s frame.

“I am so very sorry love. So very, very sorry…” Soundwave rubbed Optimus’s back plates under the trembling mech’s wings.

“I need to save a Universe I know nothing about. Save a species I have never met. Perhaps sacrifice my SPARK to do so! All the while, they all look at me like I should KNOW! Like I shall have the ANSWERS!? I JUST LEARNED MY DESIGNATION! And, and it is not even MINE! It was OPTIMUS’S! I… I am NOT HIM! I am not ORION, I am NOT OPTIMUS, I AM NOT PRIMUS!” The white mech vented heavily, his sobs easing as he finally spoke his awful truths, his fears. Just having them out there, having another mech there to listen to them, to stay quiet enough to LISTEN, was incredible… and so very needed.

He leaned his frame against the silent mech’s, the storm in his spark, and frame dissipating, leaving him exhausted.

They stayed that way for a while, quiet and still. The sun had begun to set, and the air grew cool around them, a lazy breeze lightly brushing their plating.

Optimus started as Soundwave nudged him lightly, “My love, look towards the sky.”

Optimus raised his helm and his optics grew wide as he beheld the splendor of the setting sun. The sky was an array of vibrant colors, going from the deepest purple to the brightest orange. Birds flew across the melody of colors their large flocks dancing fluidly through the air.  Optimus invented deeply, a smile crossing his faceplates as he watched nature preform before him.

Soundwave smiled as _he_ watched his love. “Not everything in this life is chaos. I believe we just get so wrapped up in the noise of it all, the pain, that we forget how special the quiet moments can be, and the pleasure they can bring.”

Optimus brought his helm down, his optics wide and wondering, yet older and wiser, “Indeed Soundwave. Thank you, thank you for… everything.”

The darker mech smiled, his spark heavier than it had been in eons, yet it was not sorrow that filled it, not fear, it was love…

He moved his frame closer to his love, his optics never leaving Optimus’s, “You are correct Optimus, you are all of those designations, and yet none of them. Yet, if you let me, I vow you are and always be my _love._ Simply that. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Optimus could feel Soundwave’s field bloom around him; it emitted patience, some guilt, a little sorrow, but mostly pure, honest love.

“Soundwave, if I ever forget you again, please… please try to get me to remember. Perhaps it is a selfish request, but please do not give up on me, or yourself.” Optimus’s voice was quiet yet pleading.

The darker mech’s optics narrowed in thought, “When you became a Prime, it was through awful circumstances I hope you never remember. When Optimus, the other Optimus emerged… after all of the pain and agony, I think Megatron and I were so broken we didn’t even give ourselves a moment to look closer. The world paid for our foolishness, and we shall pay for that in the end, or perhaps we have paid for it since… I am uncertain. What I am saying though is, yes, I promise to never give up on you, or us… ever again.”

Optimus smiled, “Thank you, Soundwave.” He leaned forward then, his optics shy and a light blush across his faceplates, “May I perhaps… kiss you Soundwave?”

Soundwave’s optics blazed, “Yes my love.”

The two mech’s lips came together for the first time in eons.  As their kiss deepened their frames reflected the dying light around them, as their sparks glowed with the growing light within them.

Optimus moaned into the kiss, where Megatron’s kiss was passionate through force, and power, Soundwave’s was quiet, almost meek.

The smaller mech whimpered against him, his servos slipping along Prime’s larger frame. Orion had been smaller than him before, it was a strange feeling to be with such a large mech now and still feel Orion within him.

Optimus placed his servos behind the other mech’s helm, yet he kept his strength monitored. In so many ways Soundwave felt delicate, like he would shatter at any moment. It wasn’t because the mech was weak in frame, no, it was his spark that the Prime was so terrified of destroying.

In his memories he remembered being so small, and Soundwave had been the one to constantly protect him and now, it was his turn to return that gift. He wanted to make _him_ feel safe, to protect _him_ from the evils of the world and give _him_ the gift of having a defender… a champion.

“Soundwave, I love you… ” Prime growled out, his tail swishing as he brought his helm down to rest in the crook of the smaller mech’s neck. “I will be there for you as long as I can, I shall hold you, love you, protect you.”

Soundwave held the larger mech tightly, his spark jumping as he listened to his love’s words. “I seem to destroy myself more than most things. I build walls yet it just seems to keep my demons closer… and my prison grows tighter, and tighter, and I cannot escape. I get so trapped within myself…”

Optimus lifted his helm, his silver optics resolute, and loving. “Then I shall help lead you to freedom Soundwave.  Let me be your wings, when you cannot fly.” He smiled broadly then, his fangs glowing in the early moonlight as he stood. His gentle servos pulled the awed Soundwave up with him.

He leaned in close wrapping his arms around the smaller mech, “Fly with me?”

Soundwave’s optics were huge as he nodded numbly. Optimus smiled once more before he bent his long legs, his pistons growing tight. He then extended his great wingspan, his arms tightening around the smaller mech as he pushed them into the night sky!

Soundwave held tightly to his love, his arms around the other’s neck as he watched the world grow smaller and smaller beneath them. He could feel the larger mechs strong back cables compress and release with every flap of his silvery wings.

“Soundwave, look to the sky.” Optimus whispered.

Soundwave lifted his helm at stared at the wonder of nature once more. He had been in the Earth’s night sky many times before, but it has always been during battles, war, chaos. He had never truly noticed how beautiful the stars could be, or the moon… anything really, in so very, very long.

Optimus laughed as he flew, his spark soaring as high as he was!

Soundwave looked at the gleaming mech, and he felt himself smiling broadly. There was no longer Orion’s softer twinkling laugh, but a deeper broader, warm laugh, and he loved it.

Optimus hovered in the sky a moment, and they merely took in the sparkling diamonds around them.

Soundwave felt Optimus’s optics on him and he brought his helm forwards once more. “Thank you my dear one. I haven’t felt this free in so very long…”

Optimus beamed his fanged smile glowing as he leaned forwards and once more their dermas met, Soundwave opening his as Optimus eagerly slid his glossa in.

Soundwave felt dizzy with the emotions that flooded him. For thousands of years he was numb, empty and now…

Suddenly a comm came through and it took Soundwave a moment to become coherent enough to answer.

**:Soundwave! Where the frag are you! Are you with ORION! Fraggin ANSWER ME!:**

Soundwave pulled his helm from his love’s dermas, Optimus looking at him curiously.

 **:Yes, ok, Ratchet. Ummm we are fine.:** Soundwave stumbled out.

There was a lull of static for a moment, and finally Ratchet’s voice came back to him.

**: Ahhh, ok then. Ah.. be safe. BE SAAAAFE. You get my meaning. Take your time. Ratchet out.:**

Soundwave laughed suddenly, and Optimus tilted his helm. He hadn’t heard the comm, and had no idea what was going on.

The darker mech saw the open confusion on his love’s faceplates and, laughed harder.  “It was Ratchet. He, they, haha, they think we are interfacing!”

Optimus blanched as his wings froze for a moment, and they fell a few feet. Soundwave yelped as Optimus struggled to get them back to hovering. “WHAT!?” His faceplates turned bright blue.

Soundwave laughed as he caressed the Prime’s helm, “Let us return, yes? Megatron should be returning soon, at it has been far too long since we have all had a moment of peace, of pleasure…”

The Prime shivered under the smaller mech’s digits, “Soundwave, we were a family, weren’t we? The three of us?”

Soundwave stilled a moment, his spark aching deeply as memories crawled through his processor. “We… we hoped to be…”

Optimus looked at him, his innocent, forgetful optics burning into Soundwave’s. The darker mech felt his spark tighten within him, guilt racing through his fuel lines.

“Please dear one, no more nightmares, not tonight. Our family’s tale shall be told soon, but not today… Please…” Soundwave begged his optics falling.

Optimus seemed concerned for a moment but he smiled soon after, “You are right! Let us enjoy every moment!”

Soundwave’s spark eased as Optimus spread his massive wings, his arms holding tight to the smaller mech as they soared back to the Nemesis.

Optimus’s spark was bright and hopeful as Soundwave’s trembled darkly. Who would tell the Prime… tell Orion, Optimus… How would he finally remember that part of his life?

**_Oh, dear one, I am so sorry I am such a coward… I… I do not want to be the one to tell you… to tell you just how much you lost… before destiny took you from us…_ **


	20. The Beast Within

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unexpected consequences... That is all...beyond... enjoy!? I shall fix errors asap! Oh also, this is half of a super long chapter, so if things seem confusing, hopefully the second part will help clarify some things. Ok, enjoy! Should have the second part out soon.

Megatron forced his pedes forwards through the wastes of Iacon. His great helm turning slowly as he observed the destruction once more, memories fleeting through his processor.

It had been so long ago since the last time he walked these streets. Since the day Iacon had finally fallen. The planet had shivered that day, its last dying light flickering as its citizens took to the skies above to escape the flames.

Megatron had felt so proud that day. He had done it! He had fulfilled his vow to Orion, and the world truly had burned!

Now as he peered out over the ruined landscape, destroyed buildings, and dark thundering skies… he felt the weight of his actions fall down upon him like a mountain.

Solus was oddly silent as she made her way around the debris, her faceplates dark.

Megatron brought his helm up as he finally saw the building they had been searching for, or at least what was left of it. “There Solus, these are the labs you will want to search through. I know that Shockwave used to work within them before he became a Senator. They have some of the…”

Suddenly, shots rang out over the broken terrain, and the small group scrambled to find cover! One of the vehicons wasn’t so lucky as his frame exploded next to Megatron, the unfortunate soldier’s energon splattering across the former warlord’s chassis.

“Uuugh, Solus, do you function!?” Megatron called out as more shots raced above his helm.

“Yes!” Her voice rang out from somewhere to his right. “What the frag kind of fool shoots without knowing what, or who they are shooting at!?”

Megatron rolled his optics, “There has be thousands of years of war Solus. Mechs can get twitchy. Do any of you have a visual?”

“Yes, Lord Megatron! It is a war frame I believe, green and purple. I believe it is a…”

“DON’T COME ANY CLOSER MECHS!” A loud voice echoed across the ruins, a voice Megatron hadn’t heard in a very long time.

“Lugnut, you fool, STAND DOWN!” Megatron called out from behind his piece of scrap.

There was silence for a moment, and the shots had ceased.

“Lord… Lord Megatron?” Lugnut’s voice sounded amazed, and almost desperate.

Venting deeply, hoping the large mech wouldn’t shoot him out of surprise, he slowly lifted his frame from his shelter. He smiled as his optics raised and found Lugnut staring wildly at him. “Indeed Lugnut. It has been some time, no?” 

Lugnut gaped as his spark hammered in his chassis, suddenly his comm crackled. **:Lugnut! What the frag were you shooting at!? Insecticons?:**

**:No. Our, our glorious leader has returned to us! Lord Megatron has returned to Cybertron!:**

There was silence for a moment before the comm crackled back at him. **:WHAT!? Bring him down right away! I will prepare Shockwave!:**

Lugnut whooped as he ran down to his Lord! “Oh, Lord Megatron! Lugnut knew you would return for US! Lugnut knew it! Shockwave said it was illogical, but Lugnut knew!”

Megatron tilted his helm curiously, “Shockwave lives?” He recalled how Starscream had told him of the scientist’s destruction, and immediately berated himself for ever believing anything that slag heap had to say.

“Yes, my Lord! Shockwave, Strika, and Lugnut hold his labs! Oh, Lord Megatron! Every mech will be so happy to see you! We have been stranded here for so long Lord! You should see what Shockwave has created Lord! A huge Beast for your cause! An excellent hunter! Come, come! Lugnut will show you my Lord!”

Megatron’s processor ran wildly in his helm. Shockwave, Strika, and Lugnut all stranded here for so long? There was some beast created by the scientist. How many more Decepticons could be stranded around the universe, and how was he to explain to them what had occurred recently?

**_One pede at a time Megatron…_ **

“Take me to Shockwave, Lugnut. I would like to see his creation. Solus!” He cried out behind his shoulder, the femme coming out from her hiding place cautiously. “Lugnut, could you assist Solus Prime in finding some rare material?”

“PRIME!?” Lugnut growled at the femme who merely looked bored with the threat.

“She is on our side Lugnut, and I expect you to treat her with as much respect that she gives you.” The silver mech looked over to find Solus looking at him flatly. “Perhaps a little more than her actually. She is a bit, well, she is a Prime.” He sneered at her as she stared at him darkly.

“Yes, of course Lord Megatron! Right away! It, it is so good to see you, my lord!” Lugnut bowed as he began his way towards the labs below.

Megatron’s small group followed after, the silver mech excited to meet his old companion, and whatever the surprise may be. **_Now to coherently explain the chaos that has been wrought currently… No stress Megatron… none at all…_**

……………………………..

Optimus and Soundwave made their way back to the Nemesis, the quarter moon shinning brilliantly above them.

Optimus landed gracefully upon the roof of the ship, and let Soundwave down gently. He lifted his helm as he looked to the sky once more. “I wonder if Megatron has returned.”

Soundwave replaced his mask once more as he smiled at the larger mech, “He said he would return within a solar-cycle, or so. That is, as long as they haven’t hit any trouble.”

Optimus nodded, opening his bond to his mate. It was there, but far weaker than normal. **/Megatron? Can you hear me?/**

The two mechs made their way to the docking doors, and as they stepped inside he realized perhaps their distance was too vast to communicate via bond.

“Seems I cannot reach him with my bond, I can feel him, but just lightly.”

Soundwave turned his masked helm to the larger mech, “Affirmative.”

Optimus frowned at the return of Soundwave’s monotone voice, but he didn’t press the subject. “I suppose we should make our way to the med bay, my chest is aching rather fiercely.” His servo rubbed along his plates further proving his point.

“Carrying Soundwave, foolish.” Even though his voice held no emotion, Optimus was sure the smaller bot was judging him with his hidden optics.

He smiled, “Oh Soundwave. It has been a wonderful day that needed a wonderful ending. Did you know, you are my first true LIVING memory? You have no idea what a gift that is.” The white and gold mech’s voice was quiet, reverent almost.

Soundwave blushed under his mask yet remained silent. He did however; expand his field to his lover for just a moment, and it radiated his joy.

Optimus smiled as they turned down the hall towards the med bay, he was about to open the door when Soundwave grabbed his servo quickly. Confused he looked down at the smaller mech until he heard it too… the light bangs, and heavy vents of interfacing.

His faceplates burned bright blue as he grasped Soundwave’s servo tightly and steered them as quickly, and quietly away from the door as he could.

Once they got to the mess hall, Optimus finally ceased his hurried escape. Soundwave’s field emitted amusement towards the suddenly shy Prime. Optimus turned his helm, his optics falling flat as he stuck his glossa out quickly to the smaller mech.

Soundwave titled his helm in surprise at the mech’s playful behavior never was it seen on the Prime, but Orion was another story. “Undignified response for Prime.”

Optimus smiled, “Indeed, it is a terrible symptom of hanging around a bunch of fools all day.”

Soundwave started at that, a memory of the first night they were in Iacon playing through his processor.

Optimus didn’t seem to notice his response as he rubbed at his plating, “So what now? I imagine it isn’t Ratchet in there… well… perhaps? Either way, what do we do now?”

Soundwave frowned, “Soundwave’s quarters. Basic medical supplies available.”

Prime looked to him for a moment, a blush coming across his faceplates, “Uhh, yes, very well.”

Soundwave nodded as they made their way to where Soundwave’s berthroom was. Optimus scanned this part of the ship. He had yet to be in this section of the ship, and found himself constantly in awe of just how large the Nemesis truly was. The fact that it wasn’t immediately shot down by the humans meant it must have some impressive cloaking integrated through its systems.

Finally they made it to a large steel door and Soundwave tapped the pin into his entry pad and moved inside. Optimus’s optics widened at the large quarters as the door slid shut behind him.

The room was larger than even the med bay! Its walls held shelves with  data pads that were damaged to varying degrees. There was also weapons that were hung across the walls as well, from blasters to swords. There was a huge desk in one corner that had three chairs around it, numerous datapads, and sticks were organized along the top of it. There were several closets placed along the walls as well, and a few hanging cabinets.  The strangest thing was that there were two berths in the room. One a standard sized berth, and the other was huge, taking up almost a quarter of the room.

Optimus stared at the giant berth and Soundwave tilted his helm curiously at the larger mech. “Megatron’s.” He said simply as he moved to one of the closets and opened it, rummaging through the supplies therein.

“You share a quarters with Megatron?” Optimus didn’t know why he felt surprised, perhaps because Megatron seemed such an independent mech that having a roommate just seemed odd.

Soundwave took his mask off once more, smiling at the sense of freedom it gave him. “Yes, it has been this way since he awoke, after the bond break from Orion. It helped when he would have his break downs... honestly it has helped us both in dealing with the aftermath of it all. Here, you should sit on his berth.”

Optimus nodded as sat where Soundwave indicated, his olfactory sensors picking up on the rich scent of his bonded as he did so. He had noticed that his sense of smell had increased exponentially since his awakening, in fact, all of his senses had, yet it seemed only when he focused on them.

He vented deeply as he thought of everything that had occurred recently, all of the changes, the revelations, the responsibilities, the connections, the failures… He growled suddenly, causing Soundwave to look over at him for a moment, his optics looking concerned.

Optimus remained locked in his processor as he ran through all he knew, and stumbled through all the shadows of what hung on the deep recesses of his processor. How many things were to be revealed? What kind of mech was he? Would these memories over take him completely? Who would win him over? Orion, Optimus, Primus?

His growl grew in volume, his spark racing. Suddenly he felt Soundwave’s servo brush against his shoulder gently, and he jolted at the contact, his helm snapping up as he _snarled_ at the smaller mech!

Soundwave stepped back, his optics growing wide at the look on Optimus’s faceplates. The larger mech blinked for a moment, his servo rising to his helm as he came back to himself.

“I… Forgive me Soundwave! I, I am unsure what…” Optimus raised his helm, his silvery optics guilt ridden. “I can’t seem to keep the beast at bay sometimes. It, it is a strange thing… I need to bring this up to Ratchet perhaps, or Solus.”

Soundwave looked at him sadly, “Do not worry love. Everything is new, and you have not truly had a moment to examine any of it peacefully. When was the last time you recharged out of a med bay recently?”

Optimus blinked at him, his processor searching, “I think I have recharged in a med bay since I woke in the Autobot hanger.”

Soundwave nodded patiently as he began to clean the dried energon from the white and gold mech’s helm. “Give yourself some time love. It has been pure chaos for solar-cycles, and EVERYTHING has changed… for all of us.”

Optimus shuttered his optics as he allowed the smaller mech to clean, and dress his injuries.

The two sat in silence for a while, Soundwave’s gentle servos working out the dents from Optimus’s chassis, and wiping at the energon there. Optimus groaned at the sensations, enjoying the simplicity of the moment.

“Optimus, there is a wash connected to the room, if you would like to use it. You seem to have quite a bit of Jasper’s desert filling your seams.” Soundwave smiled as he dug some of the grit out between the Prime’s plating.

Optimus groaned louder, a _wash_!?  “Yes, please Soundwave… that would be wonderful!”

Soundwave chuckled lightly as he began to put his tools away, “It is just through that door there.”

The larger mech nodded his thanks as he made his way to the wash racks. It was akin to a large metal closet, the floor and walls made of large shimmering silver plates. A long covered light glowed above him, and a spout and dials protruded from one of the walls. He peered at the dials quizzically for a moment, “Uhh, Soundwave, how might you, ummm...”

The darker mech chuckled as he came in behind the confused mech, “Here, I shall get it started for you.” He turned the two dials a bit, peering over his shoulder as he did so. “Do you like it hot, warm, cool?”

Optimus watched the cleansing oil began to spray down, the room steaming at the heat, he groaned at the sight, “I don’t know. Uh… what do _you_ like?” He asked sheepishly, his faceplates glowing blue once more.

Soundwave smiled at the great mech’s shyness. Orion had moments of being shy, but not normally with him, and the smaller mech had had a very healthy, and open appetite when it came to interfacing. Yet, here was this massive mech, that had proclaimed he would be his protector, and when it came to intimate details or curiosities, he blushed like a youngling.

“I like it fairly hot.” Soundwave said gently as he turned the dials.

Optimus blushed a deeper blue, and he nodded. The oil continued to grow hotter and the two mechs merely stood there. Soundwave smiled, “Well, it should be ready. You should try it. If you turn the right dial it will cool the stream, the left increase the heat.”

The darker mech smiled once more as he moved to leave the room. Suddenly Optimus’s servo caught his wrist lightly, and he turned his helm to the other mech inquisitively.

“Stay?” Optimus asked quietly, his optics on the floor before him.

Soundwave smiled at the larger mech, “If you would like me to, I can.”

Optimus turned his helm then, a small smile on his faceplates. He moved himself into the hot spray of oil, leading Soundwave under it with him. “Uhhhhhh, Primus. This is incredible!” Optimus groaned as the oil hit his aching plates.

Soundwave grinned knowingly as he too felt the hot spray cover him. He turned a bit, and grabbed a small piece of mesh from one of the hooks that hung from the walls.

Optimus had his optics shuttered as he rolled his shoulders, and helm under the spray. Soundwave brought the mesh towel up to the larger mech, and began to scrub his sand covered plates.

“OH!” Optimus started as he peered down at the smaller mech. “Soundwave, you do no need to…”

“I want to Optimus. It has been so long since you have been under my servos. Let me give this to you, and… myself.”

The Prime moaned, and knelt, making it easier for the smaller mech to work. Soundwave started with his plating, scrubbing until they glittered beautifully, and then worked in between the grit filled seams. He worked his digits in deep, pulling away the rocks, and sand, working until he got down to the larger mech’s silver protoform and cables.

Optimus’s groaning continued to increase as he worked, the larger mech’s venting turning deep, yet obviously controlled.

“You do not need to hide your pleasure Optimus, it makes me feel proud to have you enjoy my touch.” Soundwave whispered huskily.

The white mech groaned raggedly at that, a slight growl escaping his vocalizer. He brought his optics up to darker mech’s, “Soundwave, I…”

The shorter mech smiled as he bent towards his love, his helm lowering until their dermas touched lightly.

Optimus moaned into the gentle kiss, his servo rising to the back of Soundwave’s helm once more. The larger mech stood suddenly, his lips never leaving Soundwave’s as he moved. He nudged his glossa out just a bit, tasting the other mech’s dermas before Soundwave opened for him, allowing him to explore softly.

The darker mech groaned as his servos wrapped around the prime. He pulled his helm back at bit, his vents heavy, wanting, “Optimus, make love to me?”

The larger mech looked down at him, his noble faceplates hazy, shy, but craving as well, “Soundwave…” Was all he said as he turned, turning the shower off before he moved back to the smaller bot, his servos gently picking the smaller mech into a cradle as he carried him to the great berth in the room.

His large frame dripped with oil as he laid the smaller mech down, his frame moving over the smaller mech, “I love you Soundwave. I am so very sorry it took so long to remember that. To both you and Megatron…” His optics fell as he spoke, guilt at not being able to remember his bonded eating at his spark.

“Be still Optimus, allow it to come slowly. You and Megatron, your tale is wonderfully glorious, and terribly tragic. It will not be an easy journey to recall, my love. Though you and I have a wonderful connection, you and Megatron… you were made for each other in a way I have never seen. I am so very lucky to be able to share you with him.”

Optimus brought his shy optics up, “Do you and Megatron, have you ever, on your own?”

“Yes, at times during the war. Mostly when times were at their darkest and the loss of… _things_ became far too tangible once more. In a way it helped ease the loss of you, the loneliness, and other times… all we could do was feel the terrible hole of you. You were what connected us together in the first place, well, as a trine at least.” Soundwave smiled as Optimus began to run his servos across his chassis.

Optimus hummed as he gently caressed the smaller bot, “I do not remember much of the beginning of us together, or the end.  I remember you laughing, seeing your optics so clearly, shopping for that pendant, and… a dead sparkling…”

Soundwave froze, his optics wide and vents stilled, “ _What_ …?” He strangled out, his spark thundered in his chassis.

Optimus groaned, **_Why do I keep messing this up! I need to keep my intake shut!_**

“Forgive me, Soundwave. Here I have your beautiful frame beneath me, and I keep bringing up awkward…”

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THE SPARKLING!?” Soundwave’s voice was frantic as he sat up suddenly. His optics were huge, terrified!

Optimus frowned as he stood up, Soundwave’s reaction making him nervous, “When we, when Orion and you found that frame, in the streets. That was awful, is all. I am sorry Soundwave. I do not mean to speak of it lightly. I didn’t realize it had hurt you so deeply!”

Soundwave stared at him a moment longer, his vents easing as relief flowed through his frame… relief, sorrow, and wretched, consuming guilt.

“I… I apologize Optimus. That was a hard solar-cycle… I… There has been so much… that it seems I have forgotten some of the older nightmares.” Soundwave looked up to Optimus, the large mech looked downright miserable.

“No, I apologize Soundwave, I think… I think I am out of practice... with many things.” Optimus walked across the room, and slumped dejectedly on the smaller berth.

Soundwave peered at the large mech sadly. He lifted himself off the larger berth and made his way the sulking mech, lowering himself in front of Optimus’s knees. “Open your legs love.” His voice was strong and demanding, its tone immediately pulling Optimus from his dark thoughts.

He blinked down at the smaller mech, his optics growing wide as Soundwave placed his servos on his knees and pushing against them gently. He shivered as he allowed the darker mech to spread his limbs, his faceplates blushing once more.

“Ease your mind for a moment Optimus. The chaos will be there afterwards, always, so let us take every quiet moment we can.” Soundwave whispered as he smiled, his frame inching closer to Optimus’s hips.

The darker mech brought his helm close, his optics wide as he stared up into the larger mech’s nervous optics. He inhaled deeply, Orion’s wondrous scent filling him with memories, and lust, as his glossa dipped out, and pressed against the Prime’s spike panel.

“Arrrrgh!” Optimus groaned as his helm fell back.

“Open for me dear one?” Soundwave murmured deeply, and he smiled as he watched Optimus open his spike panel eagerly. Soundwave was surprised the mech didn’t open his valve panel. Orion had spiked him before, but was normally more apt to be the one to be spiked than the other way around.

He didn’t mind either way, and he greedily fisted the huge, gleaming spike causing Optimus to grunt brokenly at the contact. That grunt turned into a desperate moan as Soundwave’s dermas opened wide and he began to swallow the Prime’s length inch by inch.

“UNNNNNNN, Soundwave! Primus!” Optimus brought his helm down, his wide optics watching as Soundwave’s helm bobbed up, and down between his legs. He forced his hips to stay down as the smaller mech worked on him, not wanting to choke his love.

Optimus’s tail whipped behind him wildly, his wings twitching with each warm, wet pull on his spike. His moaning increased as he felt a growl grow deep within his chassis.

He grit his denta as he felt his control of the beast within him begin to slip, “Soundwave! Uhhhh, Unnnn, please love. I… arrrrrgh!” Soundwave’s helm moved faster along his length, his long glossa rubbing and swirling along the sensitive member.

“Arrrrrrgh, Soundwave! Please, I… I don’t know if I can…” Optimus growled deeply as Soundwave lifted his helm up, the cool air of the room brushing shockingly against the Prime’s spike.

The dark mech slide his valve panel open, it was wet and swollen as he positioned his hips over the larger mech’s legs. Optimus stared in wonder as the darker mech slowly lowered his frame over his aching spike.

As the wet folds brushed against the tip of his length, Optimus growled, his servos encircling the slim mech’s hips. He forced himself not to thrust roughly into the smaller mech, gritting his denta as Soundwave slowly slid himself downwards.

“UHHHHHH,” Optimus’s growl grew in volume, his servos shaking with forced control.

Soundwave groaned as Optimus filled him slowly, his protoform clenching with each inch that entered him. “Ahhhh, Optimus! You feel incredible inside me!” He moaned as he stayed still a moment, both getting used to one another.

Optimus’s frame shivered as he forced himself to be still, his processor was screaming at him with his new programming! This was a mate of his, HIS! He needed to please and take this mate eagerly! No waiting, or patience, he needed to…

“Arrrrrgh! Soundwave, I am not sure I… Please, I… I am… slipping…” Optimus growled once more, his fanged denta grinding together as he tried to force himself to remain in control!

Soundwave was lost in his own bliss, and the larger mech’s words seemed like Optimus was just being shy once more, “No Optimus! Please, move in me! TAKE ME!”

The Prime rumbled throatily as he wrapped his tail around his mate, his wings stretching out from his frame as he lifted Soundwave up slightly, “ARRRRRRRGH! My MATE! MINE!”

He cried as he slammed Soundwave’s frame back down, raising his hips to meet the brutal thrust!

Soundwave cried out in pain, his optics growing wide as Optimus’s servos tightened around his hips and he lifted him once more! “Optimus! Love wait I…”

Optimus’s optics seemed to glow madly, his fangs lengthening as his digits extended, their tips growing to claws. He slammed the smaller mech back down upon his length as his mate cried out!

“Optimus! Not so hard dear one! Please!? I…” Soundwave cried out as Optimus suddenly flipped them, Soundwave’s back slamming into the berth beneath them, as the larger mech roared before he began to plunge into him madly!

“UHHHHHHH, UNNN, UNNN! Please Optimus! I…. It HURTS! Please, be gentle… PLEASE! IT HURTS!” Soundwave cried out, his frame sliding across the berth as Optimus drove into him violently over, and over again! The larger mech’s optics were fully white, just as they were when he was in his predacon form, and Soundwave realized what Optimus had been trying to say to him this whole time!

“ORION! PLEASE!?” Soundwave cried out, his optics filling with coolant.

Optimus stopped at the designation, his processor glitching as he tried to override the predacon’s savagery. He eased his venting, his claws retracting, and fangs shrinking as he slowly came back to himself.

The Prime’s optics widened miserably as they fell to Soundwave’s pained faceplates. He saw the coolant glittering in the corners of the mech’s optics, the energon flowing from the smaller mech’s valve… and it was all his FAULT!

“Oh nooo, nooooo!… Soundwave…” Optimus pulled himself back horrified with himself! He closed his panel as he backed away. “Ohhh my love, I… I am not like this! I didn’t… Primus… am I?...  AM I!!!!? Is... IS THIS WHY YOU RAN FROM ME!!!!?”

Soundwave pushed himself up immediately, “No Orion, I know you didn’t mean…”

Optimus spared not a moment as he turned, and immediately fled the room!

Soundwave keened as he closed his panel gingerly, and ran after the terribly lost mech.

…………………..

Optimus ran down the halls, his spark shattering within him! **_NO WONDER HE ALWAYS RAN! What kind of a MONSTER am I!? Oh, what have I DONE!? WHAT AM I!?_**

He ran to the same docking doors as before, he needed to just get away! Get away from the poor mech he had promised to protect! TO PROTECT, TO DEFEND!

He threw the large door open wildly, and ran along the roof of the Nemesis when he heard Soundwave’s voice call out to him! “Orion! Please love! STOP!”

Optimus vented desperately, his frame turning towards Soundwave’s voice when suddenly a loud crackle sounded behind him, and the brilliant light of a space bridge illuminated the roof of the Nemesis. Optimus and Soundwave shielded their optics as none other than Megatron strode out of the glowing portal, followed by three unknown bots.

Optimus narrowed his optics at the new bots, Soundwave walking up beside him as they watched. He turned to his love, and noticed the smaller mech had his mask back on somehow. Soundwave vented oddly at the sight of the other bots, almost sounding relieved.  Solus was not with the group, given that she had probably chosen to use her portal to bring the vehicons, and supplies back.

Optimus turned his helm from the darker mech, his spark still chaotic in his chassis when an odd scent hit him, and he watched as a huge creature exited the bridge!

For reasons he couldn’t comprehend his frame froze, his new programming reacting immediately to the larger predacon, and all he could think was, **_This is a threat! A threat to MY territory! My MATES!_**

Soundwave had started to make his way to his old comrades, his helm tilting oddly at the new predacon when he heard Optimus growl darkly.

“Optimus?” He asked as his helm turned to the larger mech, his optics growing wide at the purely predatory look on his love’s faceplates. He felt his spark grow cold within him, “Orion…?” He asked hesitantly.

“Ahh, Optimus, Soundwave! I was just telling our companions here about…” Suddenly Shockwave’s predacon roared behind him! “What the…” Megatron growled out.

All of the mechs turned to the great beast as it _surged_ passed them, its golden optics focused pointedly on the smaller Prime!

Optimus roared as the invader ran at him, and he pushed Soundwave back as he transformed!

His predacon form lunged towards the threat, his sharp denta bared as he collided with the larger beast! He brought his helm down, his intake wide as he dug his denta deep into the other beast’s long neck! The larger predacon roared as he immediately raised his clawed servo across the Prime’s own neck cables, ripping into the silver plating as energon gushed from the wounds!

Megatron stood stunned for a moment before he screamed at Shockwave, “CALL THE BEAST OFF SHOCKWAVE!”

Shockwave’s massive optic turned towards his lord. “It is clearly a territorial dispute Lord Megatron. Beyond shooting the predacon, which would surely end in the Prime becoming injured as well, we must allow the beasts to ascertain who the alpha is. If we do not allow it now, they will continually feel compelled to attack one another.”

Megatron growled pulling his cannon forward but Shockwave was correct, with Optimus being so tangled with the other beast he would never get a clear shot! “Frag it, let your beast fall! I will not lose Orion to this!”

The two creatures lashed out, their denta and claws ripping into each other’s plating. The larger predacon was stronger and far more comfortable within his frame than the Prime, but Optimus was fast, and his processor may not remember the eons of war he had experienced, but his instincts did.

Megatron watched the beasts continue their battle, his spark wild in its chamber! **_FRAG IT ALL!_**

Soundwave picked his frame up as he watched Optimus battle the larger predacon! **_ORION! Oh noooo! I should have taken him to Ratchet right away!_**

Optimus felt the invader rip into the sensitive protoform of his left wing and he roared, his denta releasing from the other’s neck as he backed away for a moment. The larger predacon took the opportunity to lower his helm and slam into Optimus’s left side, knocking the other creature from his pedes!

He made to jump upon his prey as the white beast scramble back, his clawed pedes scraping against the ship’s roof as he moved. When the darker predacon landed, Optimus swung his tail hard across the other’s helm, and it sliced across one of the larger predacon’s optic, blinding it.

The Prime roared as he forced his bleeding frame up, the other beast was shaking its injured helm, wiping at its bleeding optic as Optimus brought his claws up, and jumped onto the invader’s back! He dug his claws in deep, his fangs wrapping around its flailing neck plating once more.

The larger predacon roared once more, his frame bucking and twisting beneath the Prime! It tried to dislodge the smaller creature from his back, but the four claws, and denta held tight! He fell to his side, trying to roll the wretched thing off of him!

Optimus growled in pain as his wings bent awkwardly as he was rolled onto his back, yet he merely dug in deeper! He could taste the larger creature’s energon as it screamed above him, it flailed more desperately as its energon loss began to filter through its processor. Optimus roared as the larger predacon lifted its back slightly, and slammed both him and the smaller beast against the roof! Over, and over, and over again!

Optimus found his optics filling with static with each brutal slam, his back plates cracking with the force, but he never released his hold!

Finally the larger creature’s strength began to wane terribly, and it desperately tried to stand, Optimus was growing tired as well and he growled as he brought his claws down the predacon’s back plates spewing even more energon across him and the roof, before he pushed the injured thing away from him.

The two creatures parted, each swaying slightly, but the large one was far worse off.

Megatron was tempted to step in now, and shoot Shockwave’s beast, but he found himself proud of his mate, and knew he needed to finish this battle.

Optimus roared as he ran forwards, slamming his talons into the darker predacon as he pushed it to its side once more! He lowered his bleeding neck and snarled darkly at the other predacon’s helm!

 **_SUBMIT_ ** **_!_ **

The beast beneath him growled, trying weakly to push Optimus off, but he had lost too much energon and finally, it laid his aching helm low, and whimpered in defeat.

Megatron felt his spark roil in pleasure as the Prime raised his great helm, spreading his bleeding wings wide, and roared his victory into the night sky!

Optimus walked over the broken predacon and made his way proudly to his mate, his wings pulled  to his frame, and his tail swishing contentedly.

Megatron smiled broadly as he approached the injured beast. He held his servos out as the Prime brought his helm to them. His nostrils flared as he inhaled the wondrous scent of his mate.

Megatron rubbed the creature’s long helm, his field swelling with his pride, and his mate purred beneath his ministrations.

“Remarkable.” Shockwave strode forward, his optic scanning Optimus Prime intensely. “Lord Megatron, may I preform a few tests on your mate? I would like to compare my data to what I have collected through my clone.”

“Tests, Shockwave?” Megatron’s optics narrowed suspiciously.

“Nothing invasive, Lord Megatron.  Scans and some reactive tests perhaps.  It seems Optimus Prime has become rather bestial as well, and I am certain it would be beneficial for all of us to know why.”

Megatron nodded, his optics rising to his mate. Shockwave was right, given that Optimus hadn’t immediately transformed to his root form had surprised him, and he could feel the comfort his mate felt by remaining in his predacon form.

Soundwave appeared from behind the Prime and Optimus swung his long neck to the smaller mech, rubbing his helm gently against the mech’s chassis.

Soundwave rubbed Optimus’s helm as he bowed to Megatron. “Lord Megatron.” He turned towards the others. “Shockwave, Strika, Lugnut.”

Strika laughed as she pushed herself forwards. “Fraggin good to see you Soundwave, been a long time! If any of us mechs were able to keep an optic on Lord Megatron, I knew it would be you!”

Lugnut looked at the slender mech, “Lugnut thanks you Soundwave! Lugnut should have been here as well.”

Soundwave nodded slightly, Optimus’s helm pressing against his frame more insistently. He turned his helm to his love, his optics narrowing with concern, “Optimus, transform?”

The white predacon seemed to ignore his words entirely as he continued to rumble softly against his frame. Soundwave brought his helm up to Megatron, his leader looked far more concerned.

“Perhaps… we should pursue those tests Shockwave. He seems to be falling to his bestial side eagerly… That concerns me.”  Megatron’s voice was neutral, yet Soundwave could sense his panic underneath the mask of perfection.

Shockwave nodded, “Lugnut, Strika, attend to the fallen predacon. Lord Megatron, do you have adequate space to perform the tests?”

Megatron thought for a moment, “Perhaps the war room?”

Shockwave nodded as he made his way to the hanger doors, pausing to whisper some words to his defeated predacon.

Lugnut and Strika followed after, their optics wide as they observed the Prime’s frame.

Soundwave watched them go, holding back so that he could speak to Megatron for a moment.

Megatron seemed to sense his concern, and he turned his red optics to his second in command as the others moved forward. “Soundwave?”

“Concern for Optimus. Inability to control predacon programming,” Soundwave said evenly, yet Megatron could read him too well.

“Did he hurt you Soundwave?” As he asked Optimus whimpered, his great helm falling before the former warlord submissively.

Soundwave gritted his denta, “NO!  Inability to control ferocity, especially during heightened emotional status.”

Megatron nodded as Optimus butted his helm against his frame, the creature mewling gently. He turned petting Optimus gently, “I see. We shall figure this all out, I promise the both of you. Come Orion. We must go through some tests for now my love. Is that alright?”

Optimus growled slightly but followed after the silver mech, his optics flickering towards Soundwave for a moment before they turned back to his bond mate.

Soundwave stood there a moment, the day’s chaos echoing within his helm. **_Oh, Orion, Optimus… I am so sorry my love… I do not blame you! Frag Primus, and his wretched path for you! What else will be placed upon your shoulders unknowingly!? What else shall be added to your list of overwhelming guilt…?_**


	21. What's in a Name?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, second part yay! Stuff, and... stuff! YAY! Hahah, hope you enjoy...oh, sorry for errors...all that jazz. It is super duper late... I am super duper sleepy. YAAAAWN!

Solus was designating where the other vehicons should place their precious supplies when she heard Megatron make his way towards her, that creepy mech Shockwave speaking with him quietly.

She stepped out of the storage room surprised to find Primu..Optimus following the two in his alt-form, and looking down right miserable.

“Megatron?”  Her optics narrowed towards Optimus.

Megatron vented deeply as he looked at her, “There seems to be an issue with Optimus controlling the predacon programming. We are about to run some tests for my mate.”

Solus’s optics widened, “I wish to be there as well! This could have to do with Megatronus’s energy, or Unicron’s! Slag it all, I knew there might be terrible consequences.”

Shockwave turned his red optic to her, “Optimus Prime retains no untainted programing as complete and flawless as his predacon files. I theorize it is creating an adverse effect within his processor. Predacons are known for their uninhabited nature, and when there is naught but that… it is logical that he would fall to his program’s basic instincts.”

Solus gaped at him, “He is PRIMUS! Where is that programming!?”

Megatron snorted, “Where indeed, femme…?”

Solus snarled, “Megatron, this is no laughing matter! That, that predacon instincts can override who he is, is…”

“I am completely aware of the situation Prime!” Megatron growled out, his optics blazing. “My mate is slowly turning into a beast rather than the mech he should be! I am AWARE! Is it because he is not turning into what YOU desire of him!? Is that the true problem, Prime?”

He walked up to her, his sharp denta grinding against one another, “That is it isn’t it? That is all you care for Solus. Not Orion, not the mech inside, but his function, his cursed path! You may _frag off_ , Prime!”

Solus growled at him, “You are so terribly selfish Megatron! He holds the key to our future, for all of Cybertron, the planet and species YOU DESTROYED! If any mech is to blame for the state of your mate, THAT IS YOU!”

Megatron snarled at her dangerously when suddenly Optimus jumped at the small Prime! The beast caught the surprised femme by her shoulders, and pushed her down to the floor of the hall roughly.

“OPTIMUS!?” Megatron cried as he tried to push the great beast off of the struggling Solus. “Get off of her, NOW!”

Optimus turned his snarling helm towards his mate, his optics dimming as he stepped back, whimpering slightly. Megatron groaned as he turned from the fallen Prime. “Come Shockwave. The sooner we can fix this, the better. Optimus, follow!”

The trio continued their path as Solus stared at them. She pulled herself up, her spark roiling with worry. **_Oh Trion… every klik I see my failure more, and more clearly. What am I to do?_**

**_………………………_ **

They made it to the war room without further incident, the two mechs pushing the great table aside as Optimus entered.

Shockwave began by merely scanning the creature as Optimus sat in the center of the room. Megatron watched scientist work, his spark aching with worry. He had made sure to close his side of the bond, not wanting Optimus to feel his worry. From Optimus’s side came an array of vivid emotions. They were unfiltered and chaotic, from curiosity, to concern, anger, contentment, love, hatred.  It was overwhelming in a way, but Megatron wanted to make sure his love was alright, well, as alright as he could be given the circumstances.

Shockwave moved to the white mech’s helm, Optimus’s optics watching him suspiciously as the purple mech brought his device above where his processor was.

“Lord Megatron, there appears to be an anomaly within the specimen’s processor. Multiple, in fact.” Shockwave stated emotionlessly.

Megatron groaned, “Shockwave, some respect please. Orio.. Optimus, is not just some test-tube specimen. What did you find?”

“Apologies, Lord Megatron. I am uncertain of the specifics of said irregularity, not without extensive exploration of the spe…Optimus’s processor.”

The silver mech gritted his denta, “You want to dig around in Optimus’s helm?”

Shockwave turned to him, “It would procure the most valid results, Lord Megatron. The alternative is… time? Optimus’s transition is recent, and obscure, patience may be key?”

Megatron looked towards his mate. Optimus sat quietly, his frame covered in energon from his fight with Shockwave’s predacon, his optics dim, and his processor wildly taking in everything around him.

“Perhaps we should consult with Ratchet as well?” Megatron mused quietly.

“Indeed, the Autobot medic does have extensive knowledge of both Optimus, and certain medical procedures regarding processor malfunctions.” Shockwave nodded as he turned back to Optimus.

“Take your readings to the medic Shockwave. I would like some time with my mate. Also, make sure to keep Strika _pleasant_ with our Autobot guests, please. This peace is shaky as it is, I do not need her to ruin it.” Megatron rubbed his helm exhaustedly thinking of his conversation in Iacon with the femme.

Strika had always been a loyal warrior for the Decepticon cause, but her temper was rather strained, to say the least. She seemed far less accepting of the new found peace with the Autobots than Shockwave, or Lugnut… and made her feelings abundantly clear to her leader. He had listened as well as he could, his patience growing thinner as she ranted, until she had begun to speak ill of Orio..Optimus.

He didn’t blame her; not truly. He had hated the Prime for eons! He had blamed Optimus for taking Orion from him, for turning on him, for _existing_ , but that was before. Now, so much had changed, and hearing her rip into his mate had ended with her being thrown across the lab… violently.

She had apologized afterwards, in her own way, but he needed to keep an optic on the femme, _especially…_ when it came to Ratchet.

Optimus was clear of her wrath because he was bonded to her leader, but Ratchet… She had always seen him as a traitor when he stayed with the Prime after his emergence, especially because of his deep involvement within the Decepticons in the beginning. Megatron knew Optimus, if he was still coherent at least, would never forgive the femme if Ratchet were attacked by her.

Shockwave bowed as he exited the room, leaving the old warlord and confused beast alone...

“Optimus? My love, transform for me… please?” Megatron started as he moved towards the creature.

Optimus raised his tired helm, his processor trying to make sense of his mate’s words. He purred and his nostrils flared at his mate’s comforting scent, his helm pushing against the other’s chassis.

“Optimus, I need you to return to me love.” Megatron rubbed Optimus’s helm gently, he opened his side of the bond slightly.

The beast whimpered, his spark reacting to his mate’s sadness, and desperation. He flared his own field in return just to have the other mech suddenly stumble, his servo grasping at his spark!

Megatron groaned as he felt Optimus’s side of the bond far stronger! He felt his love’s confusion, his fear, but mostly his peace…. His peace, joy even, at his simplistic nature. He didn’t need to think about much at all now, and in so many ways… his processor was more at ease than it had been since he awoken in the Autobot hanger. He wanted to remain simple remain… ignorant of it all.

 Megatron brought his helm up to Optimus, the creature’s optics were dim, and sad, and he realized…

**_He is hiding! He is hiding within the beast!_ **

Perhaps Optimus couldn’t control the bestial impulses, but _now_ he was most assuredly hiding within the creature.

“Ohhh, Orion. My love, you must return. I know what I ask, and I do not do it lightly. Orion, please love. Do you want to give yourself to this creature? What of us? I know you are frightened. I know you are confused, and hurt, but you cannot run from this! Not without giving yourself up regardless, and giving us up… Please my love, return to me?” Megatron held his mate’s helm gently, his field blooming with love and understanding.

The creature whimpered sadly as it finally began to transform. Megatron smiled in relief as he stood back watching as once the transition was complete, his love stood before him once more.

Optimus raised his helm, his optics brimming with coolant, and Megatron could only see Orion before him, “I… I am a c.c…coward.” He stuttered out, his voice a gruff whisper.

Megatron moved forward his arms wrapping around the smaller mech, and he held his lover tightly, “You are allowed to be scared my love. I am as well. Everything is chaos right now, but do not hate yourself for being justifiably terrified.”

“I hurt Soundwave.” Optimus’s frame began to shake, “I finally got him to look at me, to speak to me, to… and I… I…” the white mech’s frame began to hitch but no tears fell. He didn’t deserve to cry, he told himself. He had been the one to hurt Soundwave! He deserved…

“Easy Optimus, easy. Please, my love.” Megatron held the smaller mech tighter, his spark joyful that Optimus and Soundwave had finally opened up to one another, but saddened that it had ended… like this.

“Soundwave is a tough mech, and he does not blame you. Neither do I. I am happy you two have discovered one another at last, and I am certain he is as well. We will find a way to deal with whatever is going on with you, my love. Shockwave thinks it is because of the mess your processor is in. Considering how fractured so much of your being has become, the predacon programming seems to be over powering everything else.” Megatron stepped back from his mate, his red optics peering into Optimus’s sad white ones.

“I think I should refrain from transforming… for a while. Each time I do, it seems harder to return.” Optimus said quietly, his frame’s shaking easing as he nodded. “Yes, I think that may help I… wait Shockwave? Who is…”

Megatron frowned, “The mech that was just in here Orio.. frag it, Optimus. Do you not recall?”

Optimus blinked, his processor glitching as images filtered back at him yet they were mangled and distorted. He remembered running from Soundwave, and all the guilt that entailed, then being on the roof of the Nemesis, the light, the anger… pain.

Optimus vented as he suddenly realized he was injured, he looked down at his frame, noting the jagged scratches, and dried energon.

He laughed bitterly as Megatron looked at him quizzically. “I am in pain so often; I don’t even realize when it is new damage!” Optimus laughed harder, his servos shaking as he grabbed at his helm. “I don’t know Megatron! I don’t remember any of it! NOTHING! Everything is garbled, a mess in my HELM! I REMEMBER NOTHING!”

Optimus moaned as he held his helm tighter, and he felt himself slipping once more, his rage, and confusion causing his already overworked processor to glitch. It pulled at the only untainted, whole program it had, his beast…

Megatron growled, “NO! Optimus! Don’t fall to that c _reature_! You are stronger than that!” He grabbed the struggling mech’s servos, pulling them away from his lover’s helm.

Optimus growled darkly, his optics blazing up at his mate as his fangs began to grow.

Megatron’s optics narrowed as he sneered at Optimus’s emerging beast, “I am no timid Soundwave, creature. I will force you back, violently… if need be. I _know_ this frame can handle it.”

Optimus rumbled deep in his chassis at the challenge! He smiled darkly as he suddenly ripped his servos from the larger mech, and lunged at him!

The two mechs crashed against one of the walls! Megatron’s back plates indenting the metal from the force of his mate’s attack.

“FINE, CREATURE! We shall do this the HARD WAY!” He screamed as he slammed his fisted servo into Optimus’s helm, stunning the smaller mech for a moment. Megatron quickly brought his pede up and kicked into his mate’s chassis hard, sending the white mech stumbling backwards.

“Give me back MY MATE, _BEAST!_ ” He roared as he ran forwards. Optimus growled back at him, ducking the silver mech’s fist and ripping his claws across the middle of the other’s chassis. The scratches going deep enough to draw energon.

Megatron grunted as he backed away, Optimus following him as he brought his tail around the stumbling mech’s leg tripping the larger mech!

He smiled as the silver mech fell onto his back, and he jumped towards him!

“ARRRRGH!” Megatron howled as he lifted his pedes, catching Optimus’s frame upon them as he descended. The larger mech coiled his pistons before quickly releasing their tension, violently sending Optimus flying backwards! The Prime’s already injured wings slammed into the holovids at the back of the room; glass shattering around him! He landed on his pedes, but his weakened legs gave out, and he landed painfully on his servos and knees.

Megatron groaned as he lifted his frame from the floor. He strode over to his mate’s bleeding frame, Optimus growling at his approach, his wings twitching painfully as they hung at his sides.

“Are we finished yet, beast?” Megatron grabbed Optimus’s throat, pulling the snarling mech up to his helm. “You are already injured love, you cannot win this fight. I thought you knew better than to pick foolish fights my mate.” Megatron licked a dribble of energon away from Optimus’s dermas. He couldn’t deny, out of all his opponents, Optimus had been his favorite to battle throughout the war. Not only had he blamed Optimus for Orion’s death, but the Prime fought beautifully.

So many times he had viciously danced with Optimus across the battlefield, their movements fluid, flawless even. He had never met a mech that rivaled the Prime’s skill, and this fight brought all of those memories flooding forward.

Megatron smiled as the beast’s optics flickered at his touch. “Did you like that, my love?” Optimus growled darkly in response, his servos grasping onto the arm that held him.

Megatron laughed as he slammed his fist into the white mech’s chassis. “I can do this for breems, my handsome mate.”

Optimus vented brokenly, his clawed servos grasping Megatron’s arm tighter, their tips ripping into the silver mech’s plating.

Megatron smiled and he pulled the smaller mech closer until their helms were within a vent of each other. “You truly are beautiful Orion though,  I have no desire to continue to ruin your gorgeous frame. Come back to, me my love.” He pulled Optimus the rest of the way to his helm, and kissed the smaller mech roughly.

Optimus’s frame froze, his venting ceasing for a klik before a long low moan escaped his vocalizer, and he opened his dermas allowing Megatron’s rough glossa to enter.

The silver mech groaned as he pulled Optimus’s frame closer, a heat growing deep in his chassis as his mate eagerly began kissing him back.

He pulled his helm back to find Optimus’s optics had eased from the chaos that had held them. He still held a wild look in a way, but for the most part, Optimus was slowly returning to himself.

“There you are love,” Megatron smiled as he kissed the other mech once more, loosening his servo. He gently placed Optimus back down on his shaky pedes. His mate pulled his helm back.

“Meg…Megatron…” Optimus’s frame was jerking slightly, his optics darting around him uncertainly.

“My love, hold that control, you can do it. Ease that storm.” Megatron said softly, his field warm and comforting.

“Arrrgh, I… he…help….” Optimus’s optics began to grow wider, their light starting to completely take over them again.

Megatron growled as he tightened his hold on the smaller mech. “SLAG IT, OPTIMUS! Snap out of IT!”

Optimus’s tail suddenly shot forward its gleaming, pointed tip thrusting deep into Megatron’s left leg!

“ARRRRGH!” Megatron stumbled back once more, his servo falling from Optimus’s throat. He reached for his wound, his energon flowing from the wound freely.

Optimus stumbled forward, grabbing his mate’s throat before _slamming_ the silver mech down onto the floor. He sat across the other mech’s chassis, pinning him. Optimus inhaled deeply, the scent of his bonded, and energon flooding his processor and he rubbed his hips against the larger mech’s.

Megatron tried to clear the static from his vision when he suddenly felt Optimus’s pelvic armor rub against his roughly. He lifted his aching helm to the smaller mech, Optimus growled deeply and he rubbed his hips harder.

“Arrrrrrrrgh, you want me to submit, _my love_?” Megatron snarled out… trying _moderately_ , to ignore the heat that began to pool beneath his panels.

Optimus brought his helm down to Megatron’s, his fanged denta showing as he opened his intake. His wet glossa escaped, and the silver mech froze as Optimus licked up his neck cabling.

“Uuuugh, frag it Optimus!” Megatron groaned. He wasn’t sure if it was a good thing to play into this beast’s plan to force him into submission. On one servo it may feed into his chaos, yet on the other… the fight, the passion behind it all, was intoxicating!

“Ahhh, I do not submit Optimus, but…” Megatron growled as he lifted his burning hips rubbing harder against his mate. “I am willing.”

Optimus moaned raggedly as he nipped at Megatron’s jaw, his helm rubbing against his mate before sitting up. His wild glowing optics narrowed at his mate before he slowly crawled backwards, careful of Megatron’s wounds.

Megatron lifted his helm, his spark thundering in anticipation as he watched Optimus’s helm dip between his thighs, “Pit Optimus, there are easier ways to get a fra…AHHHHHHH!” The silver mech felt his mate’s glorious glossa lick at his leaking panel.

He rolled his optics as he realized what his mate wanted… his valve. **_Will I ever make it into the Prime’s fragging valve? Since when am I the…_**

Optimus growled impatiently, his glossa growing more insistent. Megatron relented, as he slide his interface panel aside and Optimus immediately dove in.

 “UHHHHHHHHH,” Megatron felt his hips lift off the floor, more energon leaking from his injured leg as he began to rut against the smaller mech’s helm.

 ** _Ahhhhh, frag it. I suppose this isn’t so terrible… for now…_** He let his helm fall back and he focused on the strong, wet glossa that rolled within him.

Optimus thrust his glossa in deep, twisting and licking along the soft protoform within his mate. He was getting drunk off the taste of his mate, it was sweet, and a little tangy, and it made his spike ache painfully behind his panel. He slurped at the abundant juices, his tail whipping behind him possessively.

Megatron bucked, his vocalizer making all manner of moans, and whimpers as Optimus pressed against the tight bundles of nodes deep inside him. “Ahhhh, Optimus, love, I want you in me!”

 The other mech pulled his helm back, his glossa licking his dermas greedily. He was about to move up his mate’s frame when suddenly he noticed the wound he had made, and he frowned…

Megatron lifted his helm, following Optimus’s optics to his leaking leg, “Frag it Optimus! Get in..”

He stopped as watched the white mech lift his servo, and place it over the wound.

His optics narrowing, Megatron suddenly felt a cool sensation rush against the gash, “Unnnnn, what?” A white light was coming from his love’s servo as the wonderful cooling feeling grew stronger. Finally the burn in his leg was merely a light throbbing ache, and the light and coolness dissipated.

The silver mech gaped when Optimus, removed his servo and the wound was amazingly healed! Only a light mark remained. He brought his helm up to Optimus’s to be further surprised to see his lover’s optics had finally returned to normal. The smaller mech knelt there, venting deeply before he turned his sad optics to Megatron. “Forgive me Megatron.”

Megatron’s optical ridge lifted as he shook his helm, “Wonders never cease with you Orion. Now stop feeling guilty! I beat the scrap out of you too, and finish what you started!”

His love smiled slightly as he moved his servo to his mate’s sopping valve, “Megatron, I want you to call me Orion.” He slid two digits into the stunned mech, eliciting a long moan.

“Uhhhh, Frag it, Optimus I didn’t mean to…. Uhhhhh!” He couldn’t think straight as his love’s digits wiggled deep within him, stretching his protoform, and playing with his nodes.

“No one knows what to call me, Prime, Optimus, Orion, Primus! I want just ONE name!” He thrust a third digit in forcefully, as Megatron bellowed beneath him.

“Orion was the name given to me at the beginning of all of this, and it will be at the END!” His servo pounded into his mate faster, lubricant splashing out of the sopping tunnel!

“Unnnnnn! Orion… Orion died Optimus… please, he is gone!” Megatron moaned brokenly. Optimus pulled his servo from him, his optics dim.

Megatron’s optics were filling with coolant, and he turned his helm from his mate. **_Stop this OPTIMUS! Stop, Orion is dead! HE IS GONE! MY ORION IS GONE!_**

 The smaller mech moved his frame up, “Look at me Megatron… Please?”

The silver mech’s frame began to hitch, his servos going to his optics, “Stop OPTIMUS! He is gone, I have come to terms with that! So, stop it!”

“He is not gone, he has just grown, and changed, as you have my love.” The smaller mech’s voice was soft, quiet, and eerily close to sounding like…

“ARRRRRRGH!” Megatron spun his helm towards the mech above him, his optics blazing with rage, “STOP IT! You are OPTIMUS! You are a PRIME! You are NOT MY ORION!”

“I am Orion,  Megatron… I have evidently always been _all_ of this, but who was at the core of it all!? I am Orion, I am Optimus, I am a part of Primus… I have been since the beginning! Don’t you see that my love? YET… I started as _Orion_ , and that designation has never truly gone away. I am Orion. I always have been Megatron. Always. Please love… I have changed over time, but I am HERE! I. Have. Always. Been. Here!”

Megatron’s optics grew wide, as he stared at the mech above him. He wanted to scream, tell him to FRAG OFF, that he had NO IDEA what he spoke of! Yell at him that he didn’t UNDERSTAND! HOW COULD HE!? But… he was right...

 Through it all, Orion had always been there. Always… Forgetful, confused even, but always there. Frag, even when the Prime first appeared! Had Megatron looked deeper, looked past the rage, the FURY he had felt… he would have seen his love through the changes, hidden within them.

Optimus Prime had been so lost when he appeared, yet immediately tried to be helpful, wanting to help alleviate Megatron’s distress by offering to help find Orion. ** _Just like Orion …_** The silver mech had thought the Prime was mocking him at the time, and his pleas had just incited the warlord’s rage further!

The new Prime had begged him to calm down, told him he didn’t understand, but Megatron didn’t listen. **_Just like Orion…_** Instead he _beat_ the lost mech! Slammed his fists into him, over, and over, and the Prime did nothing! Nothing but fall beneath his attack! He didn’t fight back, he didn’t scream, he merely fell...

 Ratchet had tried to stop him, telling him Optimus WAS Orion, and he had almost killed the medic! That was until Optimus took him down…  He didn’t defend himself, but he was right there when another mech was being attacked… **_Just like Orion…_**

The first time they had met on the field of battle, Optimus was scared. Megatron knew, in a way he could feel it even without their bond. He had been sloppy, unsure, and when Megatron easily overpowered the new Prime, getting close to the changed frame for the first time in nearly a vorn, he had smelled… **_Just like Orion…_**

Megatron’s frame hitched, his processor running through these memories, and for the first time in centuries, he looked at them not with fury at Optimus, but at himself… 

Fury for not seeing his love, even under all the changes, _yes_ … the bond had broken, but that was no excuse to ignore SO MUCH EVIDENCE that his love was not completely gone… just different… Different, terrified, and so very alone in the world…

“Ooooohhhh, Orion… Orion… forgive meeee…” Megatron wailed as he covered his faceplates once more. His spark felt like fire within him. So much had happened; he had destroyed so much, and just because he hadn’t looked at what had been in front of him, the whole time!

“Shhhh, my love, hush. Please Megatron, look at me love.” Orion’s deep, soft voice brought the silver mech from his darkness… as he always had and Megatron forced his leaking optics to his mate’s.

“I am here, and I love you. We cannot change our wretched past, but we can build a wondrous future… I love you so very much, now, then…”

“Always…” Megatron finished quietly.

Orion, brilliant, soft, strong, regal, righteous, self-sacrificing, luminous… Orion looked down at him, and finally, Megatron saw him as a whole. Yes he still had no true memories, but had that ever stopped his love from being anything but himself? No… no.

Megatron moaned as he lifted his helm, Orion pulling his helm down to meet him, and they kissed. Orion’s servos trailed down his love’s chassis, gentle, and soft. His digits slipping between the seams, trailing down ,and then back up to his mate’s helm.

“I love you Orion, I LOVE YOU ORION PAX!” Megatron cried out as he laughed, his love’s name dancing off of his glossa.

“Uhhhh Megatron, say it again my love! Say my designation!” Orion cried out, his spike’s plate sliding aside, and he lined himself with Megatron’s sopping valve.

Megatron looked into his love’s slivery optics deeply, “I love you, Orion Pax.”

Orion groaned deeply as he surged his length forwards.

“AHHHHHHHHHH! Orion! Yes, YES MY LOVE!” Megatron bellowed as he was so magnificently filled by his mate!

“Unnnn, Megatron! I love you! You, Uhhhhhm Uhhh, you have my spark, my entire being! I am yours!” Orion groaned as he thrusted deeply into his mate.

Megatron wrapped his legs around the smaller mech, angling his valve so that Orion hit all the right spots. His venting was wild, his spark singing within him! “As I am yours, ORION! AHHHHHH, Uhhhh, Primus I LOVE YOU!”

Orion felt his love begin to clench tightly around him, the pressure growing with every plunge, “Uhhh Megatron! I, I am going to.. to…” He roared as he thrusted deep, his spike erupting in the larger mech!

Megatron could hold back no longer, when Orion filled him, his ORION, he whimpered loudly, clenching his valve as his overload exploded through his entire frame! His optics rolled back as he held tightly to Orion shoulders as the pleasure rolled through him.

Finally he collapsed, his vents rapid, and Orion collapsed on top of him, his spike still buried deep.

They stayed like that for a moment in time. Exhausted, injured, yet wonderfully sated, and at peace, at least for the moment.

Orion lifted his helm, his silvery optics shinning, “Thank you, for bringing me back.”

Megatron smiled sadly, “I _vow_ Orion, I will never be so blind again. I shall follow you no matter where you go, what you do, what you become… I always keep my vows.”

Orion nodded, his optics growing dim just for a moment, “I believe you, Megatron. I… I require another vow though. A vow that no matter what happens… you will not fall to your darkness as you once did. That you will fight for Cybertron, and its citizens. Fight any threat, any creature, or God, Prime, that threatens our world, our species. Can you do that my love? Can you become a hero for the planet you destroyed?”

Megatron grimaced slightly, “For you Orion… I vow to protect Cybertron, and our species from any threat, any creature, God, or Prime.”

Orion vented deeply, his optics becoming darker still, “Even if that threat, is me?”

Megatron’s spark grew terribly cold, “Orion… why would you say that?” His voice was barely over a whisper.

His love’s optics glowed brightly, pleadingly, “Please Megatron… I… I don’t know what is to come. I am afraid of my lack of control, I hurt Soundwave. I am afraid of my flashbacks; I hurt Ratchet, and Solus. I do not know what else may occur, and I need to know that you, _YOU_ would stop me, or try to… with everything you had, from further destroying Cybertron, or its citizens… Please… _please_ …”

Megatron couldn’t move, couldn’t vent… **_Fight Orion… to save Cybertron…?_**

“Orion I... will follow you my love… I have said that.” Megatron tried to sound confident, yet his voice stuttered with his uncertainty.

“Megatron… would you protect Cybertron… from me… as I tried to do, with you?” Orion asked… his voice quiet, optics desperate…

Megatron vented deeply, his spark falling to pieces, “I don’t know Orion… I, I don’t know….”

Orion nodded ,his silver optics sad, “Please think on it my love… I am so very, very sorry to ask this of you but… I, I must…”

Orion lay back down against the larger mech’s chassis, the two of them wrapped deeply in the chaos that their destinies seemed to so adamantly demand of them…

“I shall, think on it…. my love. Until then, let us enjoy the wonder of us… please?” Megatron asked desperately, his spark chaotic within him, but his resolve firm.

Orion… Optimus… Primus… vented deeply, “This feels so familiar… and it feels like it ends in tragedy. I do not want to hurt you, or Soundwave, or Ratchet any further… yet everything resonates with familiarity now… with… loss.” He snuggled his helm against his mate as the chaos of life fell upon them.

Megatron nodded, “Indeed my love. We… we are meant for something more… we are meant for sacrifice… just like… others.”

Orion looked to his mate quizzically for a moment before resting his helm against his mate’s chest plates once more. The peaceful hum of his lover’s spark quickly began to lull his exhausted, injured frame to recharge.

Megatron could not rest though, even as his frame begged for the release of recharge.

**_To protect Cybertron… without you, for YOU!? My love… I find myself… uncertain…_ **

He shuttered his optics as he nestled into his love, his spark and processor trying to _only_ focus on this moment… this singular moment of peace.

**_Will we ever get that crystal garden, that library, or another chance at… at a family? Orion.. I love you so deeply, and I am so very, very tired…_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Btw.. Orion's designation was chosen...to ease the confusion... especially for me in writing. Yet it turned into this awesome revelation of Megatron's... magic and awesome sauce!


	22. Dark Memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everybody! So here is a new chapter, yay! So I just want to thank everybody for all the kind comments and kudos. You guys rock, and I always appreciate the feed back. So umm, hope ya enjoy!

Solus wiped some of the soot off of her faceplates. Making magnificent weapons while needing to utilize human fossil fuels was a nightmare, BUT a challenge she was far more excited about taking on than spark-sitting fragging PRIMUS.

She growled as her hammer fell upon her newest creation. It wasn’t her fault everything had fallen to slag!

_Bang!_

It wasn’t her fault Megatron and Optimus had run right into her lov… Megatronus’s trap!

_Bang!_

It wasn’t her fault they hadn’t listened in the FIRST PLACE!

_BANG!_

It wasn’t her _fault_ that the youngest Prime was awoken by a… MONSTER!

_BANG! BANG!_

It WASN’T her FAULT that Alpha Trion should be HERE, and NOT HER!

_BANG! BANG! BANG!_

IT WAS’T HER FAULT EVERYTHING WAS SO _FRAGGIN_ MESSED UP!

“ARRRRRRRRRRGH!” She roared, her huge hammer _slamming_ down onto her new weapon! She stayed there, her vents ragged, the smoke around her choking them as she fumed!

“PRIMUUUUUS! I don’t know what to DOOOOO!” She screamed, her frame shaking with the effort.

The few vehicons that had been sent to assist her backed away from the raging Prime slowly.

“GET OUT!” She spun her helm, glaring at them as she screamed. The bots put their servos up warily as they happily escaped the insane femme.

She pulled her hammer up before dropping it to the ground of the cave she had set up her makeshift forge in. She walked towards some of the supply crates, sifting through some of the materials within. As her optics searched, she knew she wasn’t focused on any of it.

She was tired; terribly angry, scared… maybe… and her spark ached. It ached like it hadn’t in so very long. **_Megatronus… why… why must you torture me for eternity with your existence…_**

She felt coolant begin to fall from her optics and she angrily rubbed it away, smearing more soot across her plates.

She could feel her bonded even now. He was still off planet, and that was a small blessing. Apparently having Awakened Primus was far more taxing than even she had realized. She could feel his exhaustion, his anger, his growing need for vengeance against the youngest Prime, and worst of all… his love for her.

His unfiltered, raw, powerful, awful love for her… **_HOW DARE YOU! How dare you LOVE ME! YOU HAVE HURT ME SO TERRIBLY!... so… so terribly…_**

She vented brokenly as she stared numbly into the crates. She wanted to hate him, she did _fear_ him, and he didn’t DESERVE her love! He didn’t deserve her bond! He didn’t _deserve_ ANYTHING!

The femme roared as she smashed her fist into one of the crates in front of her!

“Solus?”

The Prime spun, her optics glowing dangerously at whoever dared to disturb her, and growled as she found Megatron looking at her.

 ** _Wonderful, this is ‘exactly’ who I need to see right NOW!_** She thought sarcastically.

“What do you want Megatron?” She asked bitterly as she turned her back to him, and began looking through the crates once more.

“I was coming to see if you needed anything, and found all of my vehicons trembling in terror outside.” Megatron smirked, his optics roaming around the cave, “I must say I am impressed with how easily you can inspire fear in bots. I should take lessons.”

She growled at him but refused to turn, “I do not need anything Megatron. Well, maybe your _mate_ , so I can _train_ him to use his _powers! …_ somehow…” She grumbled out as she grabbed a few decent pieces of metal, and moved to her work table.

Megatron followed her looking at the weapons she had completed thus far. There were three gleaming swords, each beautifully crafted even with the rudimentary environment and materials they were made of. There was also an ax, a hammer, and some shields.

“So just what makes these weapons so much…more than what we have now?” Megatron asked as he picked up the largest of the swords. It had perfect balance, and its grip fit perfectly in his servo perfectly, almost as if it were…

“Is this one mine?” He asked, wonder in his optics as the fuller in the blade began to glow.

Solus looked up from her sorting. “Yes, I am making a particular piece for each of your officers, and Autobot officers. I had Soundwave record each bot’s energy signal, and transmitted them into the weapons. This will allow you to call them back to your servos, from certain distances, or locate them if they get lost along the way. I have also imbued them with my energon. Oh don’t look at me that way, it is not disgusting. Anyways, between that, and the power from my hammer each shall have certain attributes depending upon its wielder. I won’t know what those are until we have each mech try theirs.”

Megatron lifted his optical ridge curiously, “Impressive Solus. Should we not have Orion perhaps imbue them as well?”

The Prime looked at him, “Orion now? When will his designation stop changing, and no… not until I understand what awakening from Megatronus could have done to him… to Primus.”

Megatron scowled at her, “It is not his fault for the confusion Solus. It isn’t like Primus gave him one designation. He has no memories, not really anyways, and is a mesh of all of those identities. Give a klik Prime. He is far more of a mess right now than any of us… even you.”

Solus growled at him, “Yes, but _he_ cannot be Megatron! He needs to finish his path! He can’t sit there feeling pity for himself! He needs to step up and…”

“OUT of the TWO of you Solus, the only one I see pitying themselves is YOU! Orion is overwhelmed yes, but he feels guilty more than anything. Guilty for not remembering, guilty for his flashbacks, guilty for not being able to control himself, guilty for not being prepared for what is needed of him and YET… still he fights on.  Is it so fair to feel bad for what _you_ are lacking, and yet _he_ cannot? Are you not a Prime as well? We are all beyond our realms of knowing what to do Solus, but we are trying, especially Orion.” He placed the sword back down as he turned to her, his optics glowing brightly. “Instead of focusing on things have failed, perhaps it would be far more productive to focus on what we can do with what has been presented.”

Solus glared at him, but she knew in her spark, he was right. In so many frustrating ways this mech reminded her of her bonded. He was gruff, uncouth, arrogant, yet… he also loved deeply, was fiercely protective of many, and maybe truly trying to become better. Did that excuse him from his vast list of wretched crimes? No. Yet, it was more than she could say for her lov… Megatronus.

“You are right Megatron, I apologize…” She said dejectedly as she leaned against the work table, hanging her helm exhausted. “I just don’t know how much time we have, and what has he _learned_!? I keep fearing Unicron will rise and Prim...Orion will be destroyed just because I couldn’t help him! Because he wasn’t prepared! Nevermind the threat of Megatronus! He is terribly upset with your mate Megatron; I can feel his rage from here. When he regains his strength, he will not stop until he rips Orion’s spark from his chest.”

Megatron gritted his denta, “He will have to get through me first femme.”

“Oh… He can, and he will Megatron! He destroyed _ten_ Primes with his fury! You, you are nothing comparably to him. At least not yet… I hope these weapons give us an unexpected edge. One thing we can be grateful for is Megatronus despises Unicron now; more so than Orion… Plus, he needs Orion alive long enough to dispose of him the _correct_ way. So if it comes down to it, Megatronus may help us in fighting Unicron… maybe.” Solus rubbed her helm as her thoughts twisted through her processor.

“The Earth trembles Megatron… Unicron is awakening, it may be a slow process, but it is happening. If Megatronus returns before that he will grab Orion, and probably me, and run to Cybertron leaving these organics to deal with Unicron alone. If he doesn’t appear until after Unicron awakens… we may all be off-lined by then, or exhausted from fighting Unicron… either way… it, it feels very much like the end of days. The only mech that truly help us IS ORION! Yet he _is_ far more lost than any of us… and holds the fate of TWO worlds… frag, THE UNIVERSE in his servos…” She looked up at Megatron, her optics mirroring the trepidation in his own. “I am fearful Megatron.”

He nodded solemnly, “As am I Solus Prime… as am I.”

………………………………..

Orion awoke on Megatron’s berth, his wounds patched, and welded and he realized he had no idea how he had gotten here.

He remembered waking up on the floor of the destroyed war room, making love to Megatron and then, nothing. He checked his chronometer to discover he had been in recharge for over a solar-cycle.

He groaned miserably, chastising himself for wasting more time. He pulled his winged frame up, stretching out the tight cables in his frame before he stood.

The Prime found himself alone in the large room, his optics scanning along the walls once more. He went to some of the shelves, peering at the datapads there. Curiously he pulled one of the older ones down clicking it on, when he suddenly wondered… was he invading his mate’s privacy by doing so?

Biting his lower derma, he peered down at the glowing screen cursing his apparent and compulsive inquisitiveness. It looked to be files that outlined the war. Part of Orion felt his spark grow cold, wondering if it was worth it to read some of the files, did he really want to know this information? The other part of him knew, he _really_ wanted to know this information.

The Prime rolled his optics at his indecisiveness; it was like part of young Orion was fighting Optimus within his helm. One wanting to be blissfully ignorant of the war, the other tactfully knowledgeable of it. Finally their combined lust for knowledge won, and he opened one of the files.

He scanned the information quickly, seeing that it was a casualty list for the Decepticon forces, and where they fell. Part of Orion’s spark ached deeply at the endless designations he was looking at.

He opened another file to find it was filled with weapon counts, storage supplies, and destinations for said supplies. He paid particular attention to the names of the cities, and towns as he tried to recall them all.

He went through a few more of the files, marking the information he could. He wasn’t sure it if would help anything, yet he wanted to retain as much information as he could. He placed the datapad back and slid through the others finding another worn looking one, and he clicked it on.

Much like the other one it had lists of soldiers, destinations, casualties and Orion embedded the information into his processor. He went through a few more of the pads, each having tactical information on them from the early years of the war.

Orion put the last pad down, figuring he should probably see what might be needed of him and head to the command deck, but his optics fleeted towards the desk for a moment. He was certain the datapads that sat on the desk would hold more recent information. He walked slowly towards the desk, making sure to not fall over his awful tail, and he grabbed one that was towards the top of the pile.

The white mech sat down on one of the chairs in front of desk as he began reading. These files seemed to be Autobot related, giving specs on many of the core members, or Orion guessed they were core members.

He read the names one by one trying to put a faceplate to them; he frowned when he found he couldn’t, not truly anyways. There were flashes of certain colors, maybe a certain frame type, but nothing solid.

He opened another file and it listed the fallen Autobots. Orion felt his shoulders sag as he read the many designations, he felt terribly guilty that he couldn’t remember any of their faceplates… He made sure to memorize all of the designations just in case he had another flashback; he hoped he could put a designation with the fallen mechs.

He placed that datapad down, grimacing as he reached for the last one for the day… he told himself. When he opened it he was surprised to find just one file and it was labeled Disaster.

The Prime’s optics narrowed as he opened it surprised to find something of a journal entry within.

…………….

_Decepticon Log Entry 952-X_

_A disaster. All of it, and I have no mech to blame but myself._

_The Prime had been stationed within the Nova Cronum Hospital after his injuries retained on the outskirts of the city. His pede had been crushed during the skirmish, and he was immediately taken from the battle field._

_Luckily Makeshift had realized the opportunity this presented, and made himself useful by infiltrating the medical facility under the guise of another medic._

_The accursed Autobots are so desperate for medics that they didn’t even shutter an optic at the new recruit… fools._

_All was going well! Makeshift was within a vent of the wretched Prime, gathering excellent intelligence on all of the injured officers therein when that traitorous Overlord decided to go against my orders, and attack the hospital._

_I had told him no, I had told him of the citizens that were also in the hospital with the Prime. I may not have a soft spark, but I have no desire to have sparkling energon on my servos, not knowingly at least._

_He didn’t listen…_

_The blast was enormous._

_I found out later of how he had already stolen the explosives from our storage somehow… I ripped the guard’s helm form his shoulders today, but it could not stop the devastation that Overlord had already wrought._

_The hospital was decimated, brought down to nothing but its creaking frame. Soundwave and I observed it up close; I needed to see my mistake… I needed to remember this failure…_

_There were a few survivors. I watched as they crawled from the flames, and of course one of them was the Prime… Optimus crawled out from the rubble, his frame covered in ash and bleeding heavily. His optics… when he looked at me, I saw his awe, and terror at what had occurred… at what my Decepticons had done…_

_I looked at him evenly, pretending I didn’t care, I can’t let him see me weak! That was until I noticed what he had dragged out in his arms… it was a sparkling. A tiny yellow sparkling, or it seemed so, it was too covered in soot, and energon to ascertain its true colors._

_The pathetic little thing was crying, its right leg completely missing, chassis bleeding from multiple wounds, and it was blind…_

_A sparkling…_

_How many others had not been saved? How many others were still alive in the rubble, crying out yet never found…_

_I did this…_

_The Prime looked at me, his optics held no fury, not as I knew mine did then, just disappointment, and deep, deep sorrow… he dragged himself and the little thing further from the flames and laid there._

_He was right there, terribly wounded, exhausted, weak… and yet, I couldn’t destroy him… not then. Not after what I had done…_

_I left him there, and Soundwave and I returned to base._

_Overlord is off somewhere, hiding from my wrath now… I will find him, but it is my fault this happened._

_It is my fault…_

_And I can’t get the image of the Prime out of my helm. Of him holding that little broken sparkling…_

_All I can think of is my nightmare… what has haunted me since Orion’s death…_

_I have become the monsters in my nightmares…_

_I do not know when it happened…_

_And I can’t go back now…_

_I have destroyed too much…_

_Orion, forgive me…_

_…………………………….._

The Prime’s optics were wide, horrified at the images that began running through his processor. He dropped the datapad as his servos flew to his helm and the memory overtook him.

He remembered the hospital! The sudden concussive blast of air, he had been thrown from his berth violently, yet had luckily been protected by the raging flames as the medical berths fell around him. They had created a type of shelter as the building exploded around him.

He must have blacked out for a moment for when he woke, the damage had been done on the building, leaving naught but rubble and flames.

He had pushed the berths off of him, his optics immediately scanning for the young sparkling that had been in the room with him.

The little one had been in for a frame upgrade, and had been amazed to share his room with Optimus Prime himself! He had talked endlessly through the night, Optimus patiently answering the sparkling’s many, many questions. He had been in the middle of another rambling stream of questions when the blast hit.

Optimus had finally found the poor thing. He was broken, and bleeding heavily as he lay crumpled against the remnants of the room’s back wall!

He had grabbed the hurting little mech and began to crawl. He crawled over so many frames that night, some grey, some screaming, yet their damage was so severe the Prime knew he wouldn’t be able to save them in time. He crawled through the flames, and energon, thanking Primus he was on the first floor of the building, until he finally escaped the hellish nightmare! He had vented deeply when he felt the cool night air hit his faceplates.

That is when he saw Megatron and Soundwave. The two Decepticons had been standing tall right outside of the ruins, the flames of the hospital reflecting along their plating as they watched him pull himself out of the wreckage.

He had felt numb then… horrifically awed at what Megatron was capable of… yet he had also felt guilt. It was because of _him_ that they had targeted the building, because of _him_ that the sparkling in his arms was dying… He had felt that it was All his FAULT!

He had crawled to relative safety and laid there, waiting to be offlined from Megatron, but the warlord had never come closer. So he stayed there, exhausted, bleeding profusely, holding the dying sparkling as he listened to the screams from within the ruins slowly fade away as each of the mechs agonizingly melted within the inferno…

Orion crumbled to his knees, and screamed!

He willed the images to leave him, willed the scent of melting protoform to not assault his memory. Tried to rid himself of the screams of all the mechs he had passed, or crept over to get out! Rid himself of the feeling of the energon slick floors he had moved through!

He felt his spark rage within him; it was growing hotter, and hotter as he screamed! It felt like he was melting for the inside out!

**_WHY, WHY must my first memory of HIM be THIS!???_ **

Suddenly he felt something snap within his frame, and all of the energy that had been building in his chassis EXPLODED out of him! Everything around him that wasn’t bolted down went flying through the room as his power pushed out from his frame. The chairs and desk crashed into the large berth beside it crumpling the thing! The datapads and the displayed weapons slamming into the walls some becoming embedded in the metal! The walls closest to him seemed to concave slightly as well, from the force of the blast.

Orion vented raggedly, exhausted from whatever had just occurred. His optics scanned the destruction around him as fire seemed to take over them. His helm was in agony, and he fell back to the ground. His knees ached from his fall as he held his helm.

**_WHAT HAVE I DONE!? HOW!?_ **

Suddenly he heard the door to the room open, and he immediately identified Soundwave’s scent. The Prime kept his helm in his servos as Soundwave scanned the destruction of the room around him.

“Orion… are you alright?” His voice was very quiet.

Orion merely knelt there shaking, his vents broken and fans whirling within his chassis.

Soundwave stepped into the room slowly, “Orion…”

A rush of pedes was heard from the hall, and Ratchet ran in behind the darker mech, “What the frag…” He gasped at the ruined quarters before turning his blue optics to the Prime. “Orion, kid, uhh… you… uhhh… you ok?”

Orion rumbled, his servos rubbing at his aching optics, but he fought to control the chaos ripping through him, “Obviously not Ratchet… Soundwave I apologize, I… had a memory, and it triggered… this. Whatever this… is.” He kept his voice level, and controlled even as his spark roiled with the terror of what he had experienced in the last breem.

Ratchet nodded, “Obviously you remembered something… unplea…”

“YES, AND I HAVE NO DESIRE TO TALK ABOUT IT!” Orion yelled, groaning at his lack of control. He could feel the beast, no… no some darkness, some FURY within him itching at the back of his processor.

Ratchet’s optics widened, “Alright, alright, uhh, let’s take you to the med bay though? Give you a checkup maybe?”

Orion growled, his helm was in so much pain, “A checkup will not FIX THIS RATCHET!”

The medic frowned at him, his faceplates turning serious, “Maybe not, but neither will getting angry Orion.”

The Prime snarled into his servos, “I KNOW THAT _MEDIC!”_

The two mechs before him moved back at the sudden dark, deep voice that came from the Prime.

Orion’s frame shook wretchedly as the air in the room seemed to become thick around the mechs. Ratchet’s optics bulged, “Orion, you need to calm down… ok?.. kid… please?”

Orion finally raised his helm from his servos, and slowly turned towards the two mechs. Ratchet, and Soundwave froze as they stared openly at the kneeling Prime. One of his optics blazed completely white, and the other a deep sickly purple….

“What the frag…,” Ratchet whispered raggedly, his servo covering his intake.

“Orion,” Soundwave pleaded as he took off his mask, moving to walk towards his love, but the medic grabbed his arm roughly.

“Soundwave!? No kid.. I … Orion isn’t himself… “ Ratchet pleaded as his spark broke at the sight of the purple optic… so akin to Megatron’s when he had tainted himself with…

Soundwave frowned at the medic, “I have to.” With that he continued on to his love.

He looked up into Orion’s mismatched optics, noticing how there seemed to be some deep purple lines covering the left side of his love’s faceplates. The air around the larger mech seemed to vibrate.

The shaking Prime didn’t rise from the floor, but his optics followed Soundwave the whole way.

“Orion, love. We are trying to understand, but we need your help to do so.” Soundwave stopped within a vent of the white mech, his plating itching from the pressure around his love.

“Soundwave… I…. forgive me…… it hurts…” Orion whimpered as he buried his helm within his servos once again.

Soundwave knelt next to the trembling mech, “Let Ratchet help, my love. Let us help. You do not need to carry this burden alone my love.”

Orion looked at him desperately, “It feels as if my spark is warring with itself… I do not understand…”

Soundwave nodded as he brought his frame forward, and held the larger mech tightly. “None of us do my love… yet we can get through this… we…”

Suddenly Megatron’s frame ran into the room, his vents wild, as if he had flown at top speed to get there.

He raised his red optics to Orion’s white, and purple, his spark burning with the agony of his bonded… “Oh Orion…” He walked in slowly, his field tight as he knelt next to his mate. Orion’s mismatched optics stared at him sorrowfully, strange purple lines burning across the left side of his faceplates.

Orion leaned against his love's frame, his field becoming closed as he trembled. “Megatron, I am always so angry now… all of the time. I don’t understand… I thought I was a part of Primus… and yet I feel so very dark, and I am afraid that it is not just the beast… What, what am I becoming?” His voice was back to his own, yet still his optic, and the marks remained.

“I know my light, my love. We will figure this out. Do not fear. We are here together…” Megatron looked at the other two mechs in the room, his optics dim, and pleading.

Orion nodded, his feverish helm resting against his mate as he tried to control the chaos that raged through his frame.

Megatron held the smaller mech tightly, “Orion, Solus is on her way. Let us speak to her. Perhaps she can help us understand my love.”

The Prime nodded once more, his burning optics shuttering. **_What is happening to me… what has happened to me… will I remain lost forever?_**

Megatron stood, his servo reaching out as he helped Orion stand as well. “Come my love, let us try and find some answers?”

Orion shook his helm in consent as he followed the trio of mechs, his helm hung low. As they made their way towards the command center he suddenly heard a something whisper to him.

_I am here young one… you are not alone…_

He stopped turned his helm, yet saw nothing behind him. **_What?_**

_I am here young one… I sense your distress, your fears. Do not be afraid, for you are not alone…_

Orion spun around, his optics wide.

“Orion?” He heard Megatron call to him and he looked up to find he had fallen behind in his search for the mysterious voice.

“I apologize,” He mumbled as he hurried after them.

“Are you alright Orion?” Soundwave asked, his masked helm tilting slightly.

“Yes, Soundwave. As well as can be expected, at least.” The Prime answered numbly, and he three mechs looked at him concerned.

“I said I Am FINE!” Orion growled out, his fanged denta gritting together. He tried to not sound upset, but he didn’t want them prying! The last he needed was them to know he was now hearing voices!

He glared at the three mechs suddenly feeling terribly guilty. Ratchet looked spark broken, Soundwave’s helm hung low, and Megatron… his mate, his bonded, the only mech he had even remotely trusted since waking, looked at him with fear in his optics. Whether it was fear _for_ him, or _of_ him, Orion couldn’t tell and that, _that_ terrified him.

“I… I am sorry. Please, let’s go see Solus.” Orion said gently.

Megatron stared at his love, his spark cold. Orion tried to smile at him, yet with his fangs, one glowing purple optic and lines, Megatron couldn’t help but feel fear eat at him. He closed his side of the bond as he turned, and began to walk once more.

Orion vented dejectedly as his shoulders slumped, and he followed after his love…


	23. Safety through Chaos

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Oh, I have had a few days of chaos, yet now, IT HAS ENDED... I hope!! Let's just say I have had cats falling from my ceiling, my apartment is first floor under cat lady, had snakes in my sink... got septic done recently, and still recovering from flood. CHAOS! SO here is this, it is... 'slightly' edited, I shall do more on my phone when I can. Life is awesome and chaotic! Find smiles when you can! Hope you enjoy! :)

Both the gathered Autobots, and Decepticons looked up as the four bots entered the command center. Megatron groaned inwardly, he had forgotten that he had called a meeting before he had felt Orion’s distress. Now all of them stared openly at Orion as he walked in.

The Prime’s mismatched optics grew as he noticed all of the bots that were around them.

Knockout stepped forward, “What the frag is wrong with his face NOW!?”

Megatron growled at the medic, “Knockout… easy.”

Orion blinked, his servo going to his faceplates, he looked to his mate confused. “Megatron?” Seeing the silver mech just look at him sadly Orion moved to one of the holovids in the room. He turned off the screen, and immediately stumbled back from the image that reflected back at him.

**_Why… why is my optic purple! What are these lines? What is inside of me!?_ **

Orion turned his helm to the side, his faceplates grim. He could see his Autobots all staring at him, fear in their optics.

Megatron scanned the bots before him, “Has Solus not arrived?”

Arcee answered, pulling her fearful optics from her leader, “Not yet, but she commed and said it would just be a few kliks. What happened to Optimus!?”

Megatron groaned once more, he had messaged each of the mechs and femmes asking that they address the Prime as Orion, per his mate’s request, but this fragging femme was as stubborn as they come.

“It is Orion, Arcee.” The Prime stepped away from his tainted reflection. He stilled his spark making sure to look and sound calm, “I would appreciate if you address me with that designation from now on, please. I know with everything that has gone on it may be hard for some of you to adjust to. I assure you, I too am struggling with it all as well, yet I request that we all respect what has occurred, and work peacefully, and courteously through it.”

Arcee blushed slightly, “I apologize Op..Orion, but what has happened to you?”

Orion frowned, “I am uncertain. There was a flashback, and it triggered a… a dramatic response, and apparently this as well.” He gestured to his helm.

Shockwave strode towards the Prime, “The reaction appears similar to the known effects of dark energon being introduced to a frame’s system.” He turned his large optic to Megatron, “It would be logical to implement examinations on Orion’s energon, and frame.”

Ratchet stomped up to the scientist, “Not alone you aren’t!”

Megatron rolled his optics, “He won’t hurt Orion, Ratchet. He knows I would rip out his spark if he did so. I agree with the idea of tests. Perhaps we can figure out if it does have something to do with…”

“NO!” There was a shout, and all of the bots turned to find Solus standing in the doorway to the command deck. The femme looked horrified as she stared at Orion.

The younger Prime vented deeply, his optics falling to the floor as Solus ran up to him.

“NO, NO, NO! I knew it would have some adverse effects! I knew it! NOOOO! We can’t heal Cybertron with you being TAINTED like this! NOOO! NOOO! It is all wasted! Ruined! FRAAAG!” The femme held her helm as she began pacing.

Orion scowled, “There has to be a way to reverse what has occurred Solus.” He didn’t like the way she spoke of him as only some… tool.

“Oh does there, Orion!? Fine PLEASE explain it to ME!” She yelled at him, her optics blazing.

He gritted his denta, “Solus, please remain calm we…”

“ARE FRAGGED! Everything is ruined! If we introduce your spark to Cybertron now its taint will poison the PLANET! I know of no way to get rid of this!” Her vents were wild within her frame.

Megatron snarled at her, “I once had dark energon poison my systems femme, and we were able to remedy that. We can find a way Solus.”

She turned on him, “Yours was introduced by your own servo Megatron! Not transferred by the Awakening of a GOD! Through the power of the FALLEN! I seriously doubt it will be that EASY!”

The silver mech growled louder, his red optics narrowing dangerously, “I never said it would be easy femme. I am merely not giving up that easily! Unlike one of the ANCIENT PRIMES!”

“MAYBE it is because I would know better than YOU that not a FRAGGIN THING can be…”

“ENOUGH!” Orion ROARED over the two bots, his voice carrying the familiar authority of Optimus’s. “Enough. Please…” His frame shook slightly, he could feel the beast stirring within him. In fact he wanted to hide within it, allow it take over.

Megatron looked over at his mate, his optics sad, “Forgive me Orion. I know it is… chaos right now. Yet we will find a way to fix you.”

The Prime nodded, “Yes, so I may in turn sacrifice my spark to save Cybertron… I know… I know.”

Every mech was quiet for a moment, the weight of his words hanging above them all.

Megatron walked over to his love, the white mech’s helm was hung low, “Orion, look at me love.”

The smaller mech looked up miserably, “I do not mind the sacrifice Megatron. I will do whatever I must for Cybertron, for all of you. I just… I would rather not be treated as a tool until then. Can I not pretend to be a mech… something normal, for just a little while…?”

“NO! You can’t!” Solus stomped up to him, blatantly ignoring Megatron’s deadly glare.

“You are a part of Primus, not just some _mech_! Get your slag together because we have too much to DO! You need to learn how to control your powers, you need to get that… that fraggin _beast_ under CONTROL! You need to _lead_ your creations! You may not like it, but that is what YOU were made for! YOU. ARE. A. TOOL! SO STOP ACTING LIKE ANYTHING ELSE! You are the WORST choice for this fragging GIFT! I don’t know why ANYONE would FOLLOW some self-absorbed PRIME LIKE…” Souls never got a chance to finish as Megatron’s fist slammed into her helm viciously! Her small frame flying across the command center before slamming into Lugnut, and they both fell to the lower level of the room with a loud crash!

Orion blinked for a moment his optics wide, his intake gaping, “Megatron…!?”

 Strika broke out into laughter at the scene, and even the Auto bots looked rather satisfied.

Megatron merely smirked at his love grasping him around the waist before kissing his dermas gently. He pulled his helm back, his red optics glowing brightly, “I apologize for cutting your meeting with Solus short my love, but no creature, especially that arrogant femme, speaks to my mate like that.”

Orion’s optics were disapproving, but his field emitted his relief, and perhaps… appreciation.

Ratchet dragged his servos down his faceplates, “Ugh, Megatron! Not that I absolutely disagree with your actions, but sadly we need to keep the Prime functioning… Please.”

Megatron looked over his shoulder as Lugnut held the now fuming Prime. “Ahhhh, see Ratchet she still functions! Just a minor helm ache, isn’t it Solus?”

The femme pushed herself away from Lugnut’s frame, “How dare you! I am trying to get you all prepared for what is to come! You can pretend all you want, but in the END Primus WILL perform his duty! HE WILL HEAL CYBERTRON!”

“I will Solus,” Orion started, his mismatched optics hard, resolved. “I will. We have many things to take care of before that though, just as you yourself said. I merely ask to be respected until then. I…” Pain filtered through his helm suddenly and he stumbled slightly, his servos going to the left side of his helm.

“Orion!?” Megatron helped the Prime steady himself, “Are you alright?”

Orion shuttered his optics tightly as his venting began to increase. Megatron brought his concerned optics up to Souls. “What is happening!?”

The femme snarled at him, rubbing her aching helm as she approached the silent Prime, “I don’t know I…”

“I am fine.” Orion strangled out after a time, and he straightened quickly. He pulled himself from Megatron’s arms, perhaps a little more gruffly than he meant to as he looked angrily to the floor.

Souls rolled her optics, “You aren’t fine Prime, you are _tainted_.”

A dark rumble sounded from Orion’s chassis, “I AM FINE! I _have_ to be, **REMEMBER!!!?”** The mechs around him stared at the Prime, and Orion just felt foolish, and on display. He growled at their looks, and it made some of their optics flicker. Some in concern, worry, fear… His own optics narrowed and dermas tightened to a line as he fought to keep his fury from overtaking him. “Forgive me, my helm is just a bit frazzled, please do not fret.” He looked over at Megatron apologetically, and his mate smiled sadly back at him.

He vented deeply, his anger at himself, and the Ancient  Prime itching at the back of his helm. He turned back to the femme, his fanged denta grinding slightly. “Don’t we have other things to discuss beyond ME anyways, Solus? This is about all of us, all Cybertronian’s fighting for our planet, our survival. We can find a way to fix your _tool’s_ taint afterwards, but for now let us focus on saving _this_ planet, and _these_ bots. I would ask as well, if you have nothing _productive_ to contribute, but lamenting our utter failure, that you keep your intake _shut!_ ” His voice was beginning to become dark.

Solus gritted her denta at the sound of his voice, “You sound rather dark Orion. I would keep that part of me under control if I were you. You may be ordained to be the God of these creations, but remember your humble and broken beginnings. I am more of a Prime than you ever have been.”

Orion glared at her, his servos tightening to fists. His helm began to ache as he fought to control his rage, “I understand that Solus, clearly, and I am trying to control whatever I am becoming. If you could just be slightly more tactful, or just respected me, US a little… it could help assist in the effort.”

“I agree Solus,” it was Arcee that spoke up. “You call us creations like we are filth, below you. You treat us like slag. You are just as disrespectful as any of your creation’s Prime. Opt… Orion deserves our respect far more than you ever have. He has fought for us, always.”

Ratchet stood tall as well, his optics narrowing at Solus, “Arcee is right. Ever since Orion was created he has fought for us. As young Orion Pax, to Optimus Prime, and even whatever part of Primus is in him now. He is more than a tool. He never asked for any of it, and yet has continually stood up when no one else would, and defended us.”

Soundwave lifted his helm, “Orion, senate destroyed. Stood up for uncasted. Hero. ATTACKED! Now fights. Even…. Broken, lost.”  His vocalizer glitched as he growled at her.

Strika nodded, her optics fleeting towards Orion for a moment, “I may have fought Optimus, but I knew Orion, and he fought harder than any mech not born into the filth of the uncasted. He was tortured for being Lord Megatron’s mate, he had terrible night terrors, I saw one up close... He stood before the senate with far more bravery than any little mech should have. I would have given my spark for Orion and… seeing him now, and Lord Megatron’s faith in him, love of him… I think would do so now.” She bowed slightly in Orion’s direction, Megatron smiling at her as she did so.

Megatron stood tall, his red optics blazing as he looked down at his love. Orion’s optics were gleaming with coolant, and wide with awe. He smiled down at the smaller mech, his spark at ease as it beheld its bonded, “Orion Pax is indeed a mech that deserves the utmost respect of all Primus’s creations, and not because he was ordained by prophecy to be entitled to it, but because he has earned it. Earned it by being a mech, a friend, a savior, a leader, a lover to the creations the Ancient Primes abandoned… and ignored.” The silver mech walked forward, placing his servos on his mate’s shoulders, “I love you Orion Pax, and I will follow you no matter where your path leads. You have my spark, and my loyalty till the end. We will fight with you, and for you. You have taken care of so many in throughout your existence, asking so little in return.”

Megatron laughed slightly as he looked at his love, “I think the only thing you have ever asked for is patience… patience, compassion, and respect for your fellow Cybertronian’s. You may not remember what kind of mech you were, are, but we _do_ Orion. You are a mech so vastly awe inspiring wars have been started because of your loss, and now, ended because of your return. You have made us Cybertronians once more, no fractions, no lesser mechs, all are one. All are _finally_ one, and I will fight to keep that true, the right way.” The former warlord smiled as he grasped his lover’s servo and slowly, reverently lowered himself to one knee before his once nemesis. “You are a better mech than all of us Orion, perhaps even Primus… and we will fight for you, as you have for us for so very long.”

Orion’s optics were huge as suddenly all of the Decepticon’s present also fell to a knee, their helms lowered in respect. He went to protest as the Autobots too fell to a knee before him, and the vehicons present.

Solus was silent, staring at all of the crea.. no… Cybertronian’s around her. How a seemingly bumbling fool of a Prime could bring such a reaction from the opposite fractions… she didn’t know. ** _There seems to be more to this Orion than I realized._**

Her spark was in awe as she looked to Orion and noticed he no longer had the wretched purple jagged lines across his faceplates! Also, the deep purple optic, while still a shade of the taint remained, held a far lighter hue of purple now. She vented as she too bowed before him, her spark, and processor flickering with hope for the first time since Megatronus’s attack… frag, since eons ago really. **_Maybe we can fix this… perhaps it is not all ruined…_**

Orion felt coolant drip down his faceplates as he looked around him, and he smiled as he crouched down to his love. “Megatron, we are one my love. No more of this bowing nonsense.” He reached out and gently lifted the silver mech’s helm, their optics meeting and his love vented in surprise at the clarity in his love’s optics.

“Orion, your optic! The purple has faded slightly!”

The Prime smiled lightly, “I probably have all of you to thank you that.” He helped the warlord stand as he looked around himself. “Please everyone, stand. I do not want you to bow, please. If anything I should be bowing to all of you. Thank you, thank you for your words, I am honored, and humbled by them.”

Solus cleared her vocalizer as she stood causing Megatron to groan as he looked at her. “I would like to say… I apologize. Forgive me Orion, and crea… Cybertronians. My words were harsh and in some ways… led by ignorance, and my own guilt, in leaving you all so long ago… Yet, that said may we move on to more pressing matters, like the weapons I have made thus far?”

“Please Solus, tell us what you have created.” Orion smiled patiently, and even with the fangs, wings, and tail, the silver mech saw his love there once more…

Megatron vented in relief as he held Orion by his waist and the meeting that was supposed to happen _finally_ began.

……………………………

After Solus had described the few weapons she had made, and issued them to their owners she decided to take the armed mechs down to the desert to practice with them. She wanted to learn what each special talent was per mech.

Megatron had kissed him softly as he left with the group. In total there was Solus, of course… Strika, Arcee, and Megatron for the three swords, Bulkhead for the hammer, and Lugnut for the ax, so far anyways.

Orion smiled as he watched them go through the ground bridge, his spark felt light in his chassis. Suddenly he felt a servo gently rub along his lower back plates, and he turned to find Soundwave standing next to him. He stiffened a bit, embarrassment immediately running through his field, embarrassment and shame.

Soundwave tilted his masked helm at the larger mech, making sure to not remove his servo, “Orion previously apologized. Apology accepted.  Missing Orion…”

The Prime widened his optics, “Soundwave, I apologize. I didn’t mean to, offend you. I am just… “

“Apprehensive, uncertain.”

“Terrified… actually.” Soundwave brought his helm up higher, his optics searching his lover’s faceplates. Orion stared straight ahead, his faceplates set, strong, and still, yet his field rippled with the terror he spoke of.

“I hurt you Soundwave…” The larger mech’s helm fell to his chest plates, and he vented deeply, “I said I would protect you. Be your wings… and the first chance I get to be intimate with you, close to you… I am so very sorry Soundwave.” He turned his helm towards the darker mech, his mismatched optics gleaming sadly.

Soundwave moved closer to the sullen Prime, “Fault in programming. Not spark. Not Orion.”

The white mech vented deeper unconsciously lifting one his arms around the darker mech’s chassis, “I am not so certain of that Soundwave. I feel… something wrong with my spark. Solus is right I think. I am tainted now, and that horrifies me. Pit, I would rather it just the beast, at least I could learn to control that after time but this…? I feel I am turning into a monster.”

Soundwave brought his frame closer still, his helm resting softly against his love’s spark chamber. “Trine supportive. Cybertronians supportive. Not alone. Not tool. Lost, fearful, not monster.”

The Prime felt anger grow in his spark, **_Why doesn’t he understand! Why can’t he see!? I already hurt him, why is he…_**

Orion growled, “You just don’t understand Soundwave! I can feel IT! I can feel the rage in me, the darkness! It is as if Unicron, and Primus are at war within my very core! Fighting to see who can use me as their TOOL! I don’t know how to FIGHT THIS!”

He stepped away from the darker mech, his fans having clicked on as he grew more and more agitated. The ache in his helm began again, and he moaned brokenly, “DAMNIT!” The Prime looked back to his love, his optics fiery and yet so terribly sorrowful, “I… I am so sorry…”

Soundwave’s helm tilted slightly as he brought his servo up and released the clasps for his mask. He smiled at the freedom he felt, and the bravery he had to do this out in the open. He walked over to his love, his optics wide and loving, “Orion, please love, do not shut me or Megatron out. We may not know what is happening, but we are so very willing to fight for you dear one. Yet, we need you to not give up on yourself, not give up on us.”

Orion paused at the smaller mech’s words as he remembered asking him to do the very same not so long ago. He gritted his denta, reigning in the anger that had burned through his frame like fire. As the blazing rage ebbed he was left with just sorrow, raw, empty sorrow. “Oh Soundwave… I love you.”

Soundwave smiled gently as he tucked his frame tightly into the other mech’s and lifted his helm, “May I kiss you Orion?”

The Prime’s engines revved at the request, “I do not deserve you Soundwave…” He leaned forward and their dermas kissed gently. Orion moaned into the other’s soft lips, pressing a little harder and his love eagerly opened his intake happily.

“Primus, you two are a beautiful pair,” Knockout’s voice pulled the two from their embrace, embarrassment flowing through both mech’s field as they turned to the medic.

Knockout smiled as he cleared his vocalizer, “Sorry to interrupt, truly… yet I need to borrow Op… Orion. Shockwave wants to perform some tests on the Prime.”

Orion vented deeply as he straightened himself, and Soundwave replaced his mask. The larger mech smiled down at his love, “Thank you Soundwave, I will see you later love.” He grasped the darker mech’s servo, and placed it to his lips briefly before beginning his walk towards the med bay.

Both Soundwave and Knockout stood there a moment, their optics wide. The red mech whistled quietly, “He has got it bad for you Soundwave. His field is so shiny; I am surprised his isn’t dancing down the hall. You must have some connection to turn a Prime into bouncing youngling like that.” He smiled at his silent teammate, and followed after the Prime.

Soundwave smiled beneath his mask, his spark light as he too thought of just how lucky he truly was.

…………………………….

Orion lay upon one of the medical berths, his frame covered in wires and numerous screens surrounded him. He vented patiently as the two medics and scientist spoke amongst one another over his readings. They seemed to be arguing slightly, yet Orion couldn’t really understand what they were saying as they spoke so quietly. He knew with his predacon’s enhanced sense of hearing he could have picked up on the conversation, but he wanted to avoid the beast as much as possible. He had enough to worry about already…

Finally Ratchet stomped over to him, the old medic's optics narrowed in frustration. Orion smiled at the grumpy mech, “Yes Sire? Is there something wrong?”

Ratchet’s optics softened immediately, he loved when Orion addressed him as his Sire, “Orion… kid, Shockwave thinks we need to do a stress test of sorts…” The medic glared at the scientist.

“Affirmative Prime.” Shockwave spoke up in his emotionless voice, “There appears to be a correlation to your temperaments concerning, not only the predacon programming, but dark energy surges. It would be logical to test the growth rate of the outbursts, and recovery.”

Orion felt his spark grow cold, “You want to incite my anger?”

Ratchet sighed, “And recovery. See if it is really a side effect of the programming, awakening or…” The medic's optics grew dim for a moment.

“Or just me.” The Prime finished for him, his faceplates steady, calm. “I concur then, with the tests, yet have some conditions. Number one is that we do it outside of the Nemesis, you saw the destruction of Megatron’s berthroom Ratchet, I have no desire to do that to any part of the ship again. Second,” Orion’s optics flickered to his Sire’s knowing he was the one that would protest what he had to request. “I want to be restrained.”

“WHAT!?” Just as the Prime had figured Ratchet’s voice rang out through the med bay. “Frag that Orion! I can’t even imagine what you being restrained would do to… to the test results, your ability to recover from the episode, Nevermind your PROCESSOR! Your processor is… has been scarred for a long time kid. You may not remember why, but the damage is there! With all of the recent changes, and memory loss, awakening, slag it Orion. I don’t like this idea at all.”

The Prime tilted his helm curiously, **_Is he saying I am glitched? Have been for a long time?_**

“Ratchet, how bad is the damage?” Orion’s voice was quiet yet steady.

The medic looked over at the other two mechs, “That is a rather personal question Orion. I don’t know if you want…”

“We shall leave.” Shockwave said evenly as he turned and left the med bay.

Knockout looked at the Prime sadly, he knew the damage must be extremely extensive for him to be dismissed, Shockwave perhaps, but not another medic. Processor glitches are a normal with soldiers, and so common that their privacy was held like that of a leg wound. It hadn’t _always_ been like that, but that is what you get with war. These scars must be terribly personal…

“Wait Knockout… you, you can stay. If Orion doesn’t mind, of course.” Ratchet said gently.

Orion fought to keep the growing panic from his field as he nodded. Knockout’s optics became focused, and trained as he fell into his medical role.

“Orion, I would like to open your helm, and check your processor. It has been a very long time since I have, and given all of the… well everything, I feel it is important to check upon its status before we do any tests, or place it under further duress. I invited Knockout to be here with me because for the moment, we are the only two certified medics on Earth. If something were to happen to me it would fall to him to be aware of all of his patients, older issues.” Ratchet placed his servo against the Prime’s arm.

Orion kept his faceplates neutral, “I understand.”

Ratchet smiled sadly as he stood, patting the larger mech as he moved behind the berth, “I am going to put you into stasis for the process Orion, unless you want to remain conscious.”

“I trust you Sire, you may put me into stasis.”

“Alright kid, just be a few kliks,” Ratchet smiled down at the larger mech as he placed his servos behind his patient’s helm, and disconnected some wires. Orion’s optics flickered for a moment before going black.

Knockout vented out and he looked over at the older mech, “Ratchet, is he really as glitched as you are making it seem?”

Ratchet growled as he fidgeted with the Prime’s helm mounts, “He is not glitched Knockout just… scarred, maybe more than most.”

The younger medic scoffed, “I dunno Ratchet, I have had my servos digging around Megatron’s helm and let me tell you, I am amazed he can even function.”

Ratchet nodded sadly as he released the clips, and unscrewed Orion’s occipital plate. “That doesn’t surprise me honestly. Given what I know of what has occurred to Megatron through his life, he would be one mech that may just have as much damage as Orion. Yet, Megatron has never gone through the transitions Orion has, from becoming a Prime and losing all of his memories, to the Fallen screwing with his mind, to the awakening, and Nevermind all of the personal trauma.”

Knockout grasped the plate from Ratchet as placed it on one of the mobile tray nearby. “I remember they had called Orion the Scarred Prince, something about torture?” He turned back to the other two mechs and he felt his spark freeze within him as the Prime’s processor was finally revealed.

“Holy Fuck,” Knockout whispered in English as he stared in horror at the utter chaos that was before him.

Ratchet hummed darkly, his optics scanning over the familiar damage and scarring that covered his Prime’s processor, “Holy fuck indeed, yet it doesn’t seem as bad as I had feared. Definitely new scarring along the memory lines, probably has a lot to do with the sudden flashbacks. Might be able to solder clearer pathways, yet that begs the question, what will those memories bring, more scarring to other areas? Course if he is going to probably remember it all anyways, it may be better to do it all at once…”

“This isn’t as bad as you _thought_ Ratchet!? How the frag does he even stand!? I mean, Megatron is a mess, but this…wait, along the sentiment retention boards, that… that’s…” Knockout’s optics widened even more so as he stumbled back, “Holy frag. He lost a sparkling!?” He choked out quietly.  Ratchet nodded grimly as he continued to check along the other wires and chips.

“Was… was it Lord Megatron’s?” Knockout couldn’t even imagine Megatron having a sparkling, much less with the PRIME!? He knew so much more about the two of them now, yet it still seemed like a dream.

“Yes. Yes it was.” Ratchet sighed as he found more damage along his patients programming pathways and receptors.

“He doesn’t remember, did Optimus? Are you gonna tell him? If he remembers, and goes through that loss once more, Ratchet it could…”

“I am WELL aware of what it could result in KNOCKOUT! I KNOW!” Ratchet brought his fuming optics up to the younger mech, his servos shaking slightly. “I know. Yet I have enough to worry about concerning him right now! I can’t… One emergency at a time, ok? Now shut you gaping intake and come and see what I found. I think it has to do with his inability to control, well everything.. really.”

Knockout shut his intake, his dermas forming a thin line as he peered back into the Prime’s helm. “Oh slag… looks like a glitching feed, but what is stunting its flow?”

Ratchet frowned, “I don’t know, could be a technical malfunction, or an emotional one… Slag, it could even be a GODLY ONE! I have no idea, all I know is whatever is crippling the feed, Orion isn’t going to get any better anytime soon.” He sighed as he reached for the occipital plate from Knockout.

The red medic handed him the piece as he bit his lower derma thoughtfully, “Are you going to allow Shockwave to do his tests?”

The older medic groaned as closed up Orion’s tattered processor. “I don’t know. A stress test with how Orion has been acting… Plus the powers he seems to be exhibiting. He has no control over them, and who knows if he won’t just blow us all to scrap. Or… if he will be able to come back from the rage we incite.. I am nervous, to say the least. On the other servo, we have no answers, and if we just leave it, without understanding any of it… We could lose Orion to it all anyways.”

Ratchet stood for a moment gathering his thoughts before he brought Orion back online. “I think we owe it to Orion to try and learn about what is going on. So I agree to the tests. I don’t like the idea of restraints, but I know he won’t do them without them… Knockout,” Ratchet turned to the younger mech, his optics serious, “You can’t mention the sparkling. Not to anyone.”

Knockout frowned, “Ratchet, the longer you keep this from him, the longer he has a chance to remember it in an awful fragging way, with awful fragging consequences.”

“I KNOW! I just, I never thought I would have to. He never displayed flashbacks as Optimus. I thought it was done and gone, like so many other NIGHTMARES!” The old medic held his helm suddenly his processor reeling with everything that had gone on that day. “I just want him to be fragging happy Knockout. I want Megatron to be happy, I want Soundwave to be happy, I want my team to be happy, I want EVERY MECH TO BE FRAGGIN HAPPY!” He felt his frame hitch as coolant glittered at the edges of his optics.

Knockout’s optic softened as he suddenly wrapped his arms around the older medic, “I know Ratchet, and you have been fighting for them all the whole way. I saw it when you first came aboard. You care for Megatron even if you don’t want to admit it. That was incredible to see, especially from Orion’s appointed Sire.”

The red mech brought his servo under Ratchet’s chin lifting the other mech’s faceplates to his, “We are gonna get through this Ratchet, and you don’t have to try and save every mech alone, not anymore.” Knockout smiled softly as he leaned forward and caught the other mech’s lips with his own. Ratchet stiffened at the touch for a nano-second but quickly reveled in the younger mech’s comforting field, and warm embrace.

Knockout laughed quietly as he pulled the old mech closer, “I have wanted to do that since the other night.”

Ratchet grumbled into the other mech’s shoulders, “The other night was a mistake. I almost lost my kid, my feelings and logic circuits were compromised.”

Knockout rolled his optics as he smirked proudly, “They were indeed compromised, in oh so many positions.”

Ratchet blushed as he cleared his vocalizer, “I don’t even know what you would find attractive about an old mech like me. You are a gorgeous, albeit narcissistic young mech.”

“I like um bulky mech. Bulky, gruff, and oh so sensitive, and you are _oh so sensitive….”_ Knockout rubbed Ratchet’s back plates gently, the older mech groaning into the crook of his neck. “Maybe we can make that mistake again tonight?” Knockout’s voice was husky as his hips rubbed against the older mech’s briefly.

“Oh frag off, Knockout. You are gonna be the death of me.” Ratchet tried to scowl even as a heat began to pool beneath his panels.

“Death by overload… I can think of worse ways to go.” Knockout smiled as he kissed Ratchet’s helm once more.

Ratchet pulled away then, his optics narrowed yet his dermas rose in a small smile, “I thought you’d want someone young and pretty. You seemed to connect with Arcee, she is pretty enough.”

Knockout hummed thoughtfully, “Slag it Ratchet, we found common ground. I can’t imagine being with a femme like her! First she is too small, and I like feeling protected, and second her temper and yours is completely different. Hers is one of a warrior, independent, arrogant, Pit… she reminds me of Megatron at times! NO THANK YOU! It is bad enough I have had to deal with his chaos and destruction!”

The red medic sat against one of the berths nearby, his red optics observing the larger medic carefully. “Your temper comes from loss. Loss of patients, loss of confidence, loss of your kid,” He gestured to Orion, “and I think… loss of a bond.”

Ratchet stiffened, his frame become still as stone, “Don’t pry.”

Knockout raised his servos, “I won’t. I am a medic remember? I know better. Yet I want you to know… I see you taking care of every mech here, and yet, who takes care of you?”

Ratchet huffed, “I don’t need any mech to take care of me Knockout. I am the medic. That is my job!”

The red mech slid off the berth he had sat upon, and neared the taller medic, “It is my job as well Ratchet. Frag it if I don’t need the same thing. We take care of every mech, and in the end…” His shoulders slumped slightly, his optics dim, “We don’t have anyone to do the same for us. Not… not anymore anyways.”

Ratchet frowned, his spark feeling for the younger medic. He understood more than any mech he had ever met what Ratchet faced every solar-cycle, every failure, and every death. The loneliness, the guilt of not being able to save your teammates, your own bonded… Ratchet had had eons to mourn Silverray, and poor Knockout had lost his bonded so recently.

“I don’t want to hurt you Knockout, or take advantage of your mourning…” Ratchet said quietly, his servo lifting the younger mech’s helm up.

The red mech laughed sadly, “Would you believe it that you are one of the only mechs I would truly believe that from… That is why you… you feel safe. You feel warm, you feel… like sanctuary.” Suddenly the smaller mech felt coolant pool in his optics, and he turned abruptly, “Excuse me.” Was all he said as he fled the med bay.

Ratchet rumbled darkly, chastising himself for even having a night with the younger medic. He had been spark broken, having almost lost Orion once more, almost losing everything that kept him going every solar-cycle. Without Orion, what was he? A medic sure, but he would have nothing. Nothing but an empty lonely existence.

He had made his way to the med bay late that night just to find himself intruding upon a weeping Knockout! He had tried to make the mech feel less awkward and just leave, but the younger medic had called to him, and asked him not to leave.

Being a medic, and vastly more aware of the varieties of pain within any bots, he had stayed. He had found a stash of high-grade in Starscream’s old quarters, where he stayed now, and suggested they share it. He had meant to just drink it alone and revel in the misery of almost losing Orion, yet it was nice to have some company to drink with.

They had immediately hit it off. Ratchet being amazed at the intelligence of the younger mech, and the passion. They spoke of particular procedures, patients, mistakes, failures, successes… Ratchet had never felt so comfortable with another mech, not in a very, very long while. Once the high-grade had been emptied, they had snuggled close, sitting on the floor of the med bay talking of the future… and the hope they had both begun to feel.

Ratchet had been speaking passionately about the trials he and Optimus had to go through, and how he followed his kid through it all when he had felt Knockout’s servo on his thigh. He had ignored it at first, continuing with his stories until the servo began to move back and forth gently.

It had been so… so very long since he had been touched like that. Gently, lovingly. He was the medic, he was the helper, the comfort! To feel some other mech give him even a piece of that, it was electric!

He remembered them suddenly kissing, overheated and overcharged from emotional chaos and high-grade. He had spiked the smaller mech, lustfully watching as Knockout squirmed against his spike. It had been wonderful! Wonderful, and so very needed. He had not had a partner since Silverray, and Knockout… his passion, his gleam, his noises, his gentleness, it was exactly what Ratchet needed that night, and he hoped, just what Knockout had needed.

Now though, as he stared at the open med bay doors he wondered, **_Did I just frag it all up for him or what? I am too old for this, what the frag am I doing!? Why does he even like me!? He kissed me without sorrow, without being overcharged… just himself. Does he actually… Do I?_**

He groaned as he reconnected the wires behind Orion’s helm, waiting a moment before the larger mech’s optics flickered and he came back online.

Orion narrowed his optics slightly, his servo rubbing the back of his helm gently, “It has been far longer than a few kliks Ratchet. Is something wrong?”

“Nothing more than usual Opti… sorry Orion. Some more scarring yet, I will allow the tests to be conducted. I have some conditions as well though, number one, Soundwave and Megatron must be there! So it will have to wait until tomorrow. They have the strongest connection with you, and will probably help ease you back to yourself, more than we can anyways.”

Orion nodded his optics focused and calculating, “The other condition Ratchet?”

The older mech smiled, “Spend some time with your trine Orion. You need them, and they need you.”

The Prime’s faceplates burned with embarrassment yet his optics filled with glee, “Medic’s orders?”

Ratchet laughed, “Medic’s orders! Now get out of here ya big idiot. I have stuff to do!”

Orion laugh, “Do you always refer to those you love with such endearing terms.”

The medic laughed heartily, “You’re fragging right I do! Now get!”

Orion smiled as he pulled himself from the berth, the two of them pulling the multiple sensors, and electric pads from his frame. “Sire, thank you. Thank you for always looking out for me, for being honest with me, no matter how much it may hurt. I value that, truly.”

Ratchet felt his spark twist within his chamber, “You are welcome kid, go and enjoy the lighter moments. We only have so many now…”

Orion smiled grimly as he hugged the smaller mech, “I will Ratchet. I love you.”

The old medic nodded brusquely, “Yeah, yeah I love you too.”

Orion smiled as he made his way to the med bay doors, “I hope you find some happiness Ratchet. You deserve it more than most.” With that he left, leaving the medic alone in the silent med bay.

Ratchet put the sensors back where they belonged, his spark heavy. **_You do too kid… you and your family…_**

Once the med bay was cleaned he stood there silently for a moment warring with himself as to what to do when suddenly he received a comm.

 **:I am sorry I left. I am in my quarters if…:** It was Knockout, his voice quiet inside the older mech’s helm.

 **:I am sorry too, I want to be there if… if you are alright  with it.:** Ratchet felt his spark skip as he waited for a response. He was mad at himself for getting excited, for needing anything for himself!

 That guilt dissipated as he heard Knockout’s answer, **:Please Ratchet… I feel so alone… It hurts. You make me feel safe.:**

Ratchet smiled, his engines revving in delight as he made his way to Knockout’s quarters. When he had been with Silverray he had been far younger than his bonded, and yet his mate had always been patient and kind to him, his rock, his safe space. Now, he got to be so for Knockout.

**:I am on my way Knockout. Don’t be afraid, I will be there soon.:**


	24. Waves

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I loved writing this chapter. Yay Roller-coasters! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did creating it!

The Prime made his way down to the command deck, his spark light in his chassis when he suddenly heard a mech cry out as if in pain ahead of him. He immediately brought his battle protocols online, and ran towards the sound. His heavy pedes screeched around the corner as he threw himself into one of the doorways along the hall.

Bumblebee and Bulkhead froze as their leader came flying into the training room. The Prime had his weapons drawn as he rolled to a crouch, his optics blazing.

“AHHHHHHHHH!” Bulkhead screamed shrilly as his processor caught up with what had just happened, and he dropped the lobbing ball as he put his servos high into the sky above him! “Don’t kill ME!”

Orion’s optics widened as he immediately transformed his rifles back to his servos. “I apologize! I heard some mech cry out, and I thought…” The Prime caught the sight of a giant metal ball rolling across the vast room’s floor, “Uhhh, what were you doing?”

Bumblebee seemed to recover from his shock much faster than his companion, and he chirped out an answer.

The white mech nodded, “Ahhh, lobbing… I seem to have a little recognition with the sport.” He pulled his great form up, walking forwards as he captured the massive ball in his servos. He knew Megatron had commed him once he returned from his venture to Earth’s surface, but he also knew that he had spent far less time with his former comrades than he had his mate. **_A little time of playing with them may help me reconnect. I am certain Megatron wouldn’t mind._**

He looked at the two Autobots, “Could I perhaps play with you?”

Bulkhead gaped at him while Bumblebee chittered excitedly. “Ahhh, sure boss bot, ahhh… you sure you want to?”

Orion smiled, “Very much so. That is, if you do not mind my intrusion, or ignorance to the rules?”

Bulkhead smile, “NO! Not at all! It is just ya never… or Optimus never, well … he didn’t have a lot of time to play, or interest. Just… surprising is all…”

Orion shrugged, “Well, I find myself with some time now.” He smiled as he threw the massive ball towards the green mech lightly. “Let me just let the others know where I am first.” The Prime walked aside for a klik as he commed Megatron.

Bulkhead nodded as he smiled secretly at Bumblebee. “Pssst, he throws like a sparkling. We are gonna stomp him!”

Bumblebee chirped and clicked back in warning shaking his helm, but Bulkhead just laughed, “I am telling ya. Orion was no warrior, we are totally gonna whoop him.”

Orion walked back over to them, his dermas pulled into a smile, “Seems some of the other bots would like to join in for a bit before we have a meeting, if you both do not mind?”

The two Autobots smiled, “Heck yeah! I haven’t had a good lobbing match in a while. Tell um to come on down! I can give ya the rundown of the rules as we wait.”

The larger mech smiled as he relayed the message through his comm. The other mechs began pushing some of the other equipment and weapons in the training room aside, making room for their game.

Finally the Prime looked up to the two Autobots, “So what are the rules?

Bulkhead smiled, “Normally we play by throwing back and forth and that is it, _but_ with more bots, you can add goals to reach for each team! So we are gonna do it like this Boss Bot. There will be two teams, and two goals. We are going to play where you can move just four steps before you need to toss it to a teammate, and try and make it to your goal. When you don’t have the ball you can move anywhere freely, and try to intercept the ball from the opposing team as well. Oh, and if you go over four steps, you can be tackled. Make sense?”

The Prime nodded his dermas set in concentration, “I believe I have it.” He turned his helm as he heard laughter and pede steps approaching the training room. “I think the rest of them are here.”

The three mechs watched as Strika, Lugnut, Arcee, Solus, Soundwave, and Megatron entered. They were followed by three excited looking vehicons as well.

Megatron immediately walked up to his mate and kissed him lightly on the helm. “Not a bad idea love. We have not had a friendly competition like this in sometime.”

Orion blushed, smiling at his love, “Wasn’t my idea. The credit goes to these two. Will you be playing as well?”

Megatron shook his helm, “Not this time, but I will watch.” Orion almost looked like he was pouting for a moment, and the silver mech laughed, “I need to look over these reports. With so many more teammates; our need for energon has increased, and I need to make sure we don’t all starve.”

Orion smiled then, “Thank you for taking care of all of us, Megatron. If you need to utilize some of us to help with the energon shortage we can.”

“I will be sure to take you up on that, I am certain.... for now love, have some fun.” The silver mech kissed him once more before moving to the side of the room, leaning against the wall as he began to study his datapad.

Soundwave was already against the same wall, apparently not interested in playing either. He did nod to his love, his field emitting amusement and encouragement.

The Prime turned as he heard Bulkhead begin to discuss splitting the teams, "So we should do this by size uhhh, other than that, any suggestions?”

“Well, the Prime and I are the largest bots,” Strika said as she winked at Orion, “So we should be on separate teams. Course, it is a little unfair as I am the largest of all of you, beyond Lord Megatron.”

Orion nodded, “Perhaps we should split it as Bulkhead, Strika, Arcee, and two of the vehicons, ummm you two are Frank, and what was your designation again my friend?” The Prime looked to two of the vehicons.

“Uhhh, Peanut Butter, uhh sir. Or P.B. for short… sir.” The vehicon stood straight as he addressed the larger mech. Bulkhead snickered at the designation quietly, yet became silent as his Prime raised his optics to the former wrecker.

“Yes, Peanut Butter. Forgive me for forgetting. So Bulkhead, Strika, Arcee, Frank and Peanut Butter against myself, Lugnut, Bumblebee, Solus, and Abraham. Does that sound fair?” The white mech straightened as the bots around him nodded.

“ALRIGHT! Let’s PLAY!” Bulkhead yelled out as his team made their way to their side of the training room.

Solus shook her helm as she took her position, “Oh… what have I just gotten myself into?”

Orion laughed, “Do not worry Solus. I am certain your weak creations will have no chance against you.”

Solus scowled and was about to say something snarky when the game began! The two teams ran towards the ball in the center of the room, Strika getting there before any other bot as she stepped her four steps, and threw the ball to Bulkhead’s advancing frame.

Orion jumped into the path of the ball first, venting hard as he was pushed back from the force of her throw. “Lugnut!” The Prime called to the other mech as he tossed the ball from where he stood. The Deception jumped above Peanut Butter’s attempt at blocking him, and caught the heavy ball easily, then just stood there looking pleased with himself.

“THROW IT! YA, BIG IDIOT!” Solus cried out as she passed him. That seemed to jolt the large mech into action, and he _hurled_ the ball at the smaller femme!

To her credit, Solus didn’t scream as she caught the massive orb. Her frame promptly lifting off the ground as she, and the ball, fell against their goal. The frazzled femme pushed herself off the wall, shaking her helm when she suddenly realized she had scored a point.

“HAAAAAA, take THAT! THE MIGHT OF THE PRIMES PREVAILS!” She cried, lifting her servos over her helm in victory!

The bots all laughed as she threw the ball, with far more force than her small frame seemed capable of, to Bulkhead for reset.

“Ahhh, that is only round one, Prime! We shall see who is victorious in the end!” Strika laughed out, the two teams getting back to their positions.

Orion watched the mechs around him with wonder in his optics. Before him were not Decepticons, or Autobots, or Primes, no… what he saw was the future. Where there only existed Cybertronians, fighting together, playing together, working together for a common goal! He felt his spark sing in his chassis, **_This is the way it should be, and it is wonderful._** He looked over to his mate just to find the silver mech completely ignoring his datapad as he watched the game in front of him. The former warlord looked over at him, his smile broadening as their optics met.

 **/I love you, Orion./** Megatron sent him over their bond.

**/I love you as well, Megatron. With all of my spark./**

The silver mech laughed, **/Ha, I believe that! Now pay attention, you had better win this game, Prime. I have a bet going with Strika. I will lose a tank of high-grade if she wins… Don’t let me down!/**

**/Never, my love. I shall defend your booze with my life!/**

He laughed heartily as the two teams ran for the ball once more, a smile on each faceplate.

The game continued on for some time after that. Both teams were very close, with Orion’s team always one point ahead. They decided on it being their last round finally as both teams were exhausted, well every mech but Solus. The smaller Prime was out for energon, roaring, hooting and hollering with every goal. Orion was surprised by the very un-Primely way she acted, but he was glad for it as well.

They were in the middle of the round, each mech and femme playing hard, and fast when suddenly Orion caught the sight of Ratchet and Knockout in the hall. He was about to focus back on the insanity of the game when he saw his Sire lean over and _kiss_ the other medic!  His optics widened as he stared at the two mechs.

“ORION!”

The Prime turned his helm just in time to watch the massive orb take over his entire field of vision before it _slammed_ into his faceplates at full speed. His vision immediately went black as he fell backwards. He found himself amazed that he hadn’t been knocked unconscious, only to leave that thought unfinished as the back of his helm crashed against the ground with a sickening crack, and everything faded away.

……………………..

He groaned as his vision began to clear, Megatron standing before him. He shook his helm as he tried to focus on what was in his love's arms. He quickly realized it was a mech, a mech he knew from long ago…

“Jazz?” He asked, his vocalizer dry, and crackling.

“Frag OFF MEGATRON! Optimus, DON’T ya give this piece of SLAG NOTHIN!” The small back and white bot screamed out. His little servos ripping at Megatron’s huge arms as the silver mech laughed.

“How noble little mech, yet if the Prime does not give me what I want, I will rip you apart piece by piece.” Megatron smiled wickedly, his glossa licking his sharp denta as he tightened his grip on the small bot. One of his servos wrapped around Jazz’s right arm, and began to pull slowly.

“NO! MEGATRON! PLEASE!!!!” Orion screamed, trying to rush forwards only to find himself restrained by something! He turned his helm to find Soundwave behind him. The darker mech’s long tendrils were wrapped around his arms and legs, forcing him to remain on his knees. “SOUNDWAVE!? Please stop this! You are better than this, BOTH OF YOU!”

Megatron laughed darkly, “Not anymore, Prime.” He grinned savagely as he twisted Jazz’s arm as he pulled. The smaller bot tried to not scream, tried to not give Megatron exactly what the sick mech wanted, but as his cabling began to rip apart, he gave in and SCREAMED!

“NOOOOOOOOO!” Orion thrashed against the long limbs that held him, his optics bleeding coolant. “WHAT DO YOU WANT!? Please! Just STOP!”

With a horrifically wet _pop_ , Jazz’s arm came free of his frame, and the black and with mech HOWLED in agony!

“JAAAAAZZ! Please, Megatron! PLEASE!?” Orion wept openly, his frame bleeding under Soundwave’s tendrils as he pulled against them violently!

“Now for the next one. _Unless_ , you tell me where the keys are PRIME! Where did Alpha Trion HIDE THEM!?” Megatron grabbed onto Jazz’s left arm, and began to pull once more.

“KEYS!? I do not know of any KEYS! I swear Megatron! Please! Stop!!!” Orion begged, his frame hitching with desperation.

“DON’T LIE TO ME, PRIME!” The silver mech instantly tore Jazz’s arm from his shoulder, causing the small mech to howl loudly as his energon sprayed out over Orion’s frame.

“I AM NOT! I SWEAR! I KNOW OF NO KEYS! Please, please…Oh Jazz….” Orion sobbed, his optics staring at the mutilated mech.

“Op..Optimus… don’t give nuthin…” Jazz coughed out, his optics flickering, “Tell Prowl… I love..” The poor mech didn’t get a chance to finish as Megatron dug his two servos deep into the mech’s tanks.

“Ohhhh, Priiiimus! Pleeeeease Megatron…!” Orion moaned brokenly as the huge mech began to rip his claws away from one another, Jazz’s frame tearing with them!

“NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!”  Orion had to turn his helm as his friend’s energon sprayed across his faceplates, blinding him.

Finally Jazz’s scream came to an end… and Orion heard his frame being dropped to the ground.

He heard Megatron walk closer to him, and the grinding of gears as the warlord crouched before him.

Suddenly, he felt fire run through his chassis and he un-shuttered his optics to find his love’s claws sunk deep into his frame.

“If you don’t know Prime, than you are no use to me.” Megatron whispered darkly, pushing his servo in deeper.

Orion whimpered slightly, but did not scream. He sadly brought his optics up to his love’s red ones, and brokenly asked, “What has become of you Megatronus?”

The silver mech pulled back instantly, his servo slipping out with a sickening slurp, “What did you call ME, PRIME!? WHAT DID YOU SAY!?”

Orion merely hung his dripping helm, his vision swimming, and growing dark. He was fairly certain there was a rush of shots suddenly, and running pedes as he was dropped to the ground.

“Kid, kid, you alright!? Can you open Your Optics?” Ratchet’s voice pulled at the edges of his consciousness.

Orion moaned, his frame felt heavy, sluggish, “R…Ratchet?”

“Yeah, I am here! Frag it, I need you to open your optics, alright? Can you do that?” The medic’s voice asked gently, worry filtering through his vocalizer.

Orion nodded, his optics opening a little, yet all he could see was static, “Ratchet… Jazz… I couldn’t… we need to tell Prowl that…” Orion stopped for a moment, his vision swaying so much it made him nauseous.

“What!? What are you talking about, kid?” The worry in his Sire’s voice grew exponentially.

“Jazz, I couldn’t save…” Orion’s optics finally cleared enough to find Ratchet’s terrified optics looking down at him, Ratchet’s, and Megatron’s.

“YOU! YOU TORTURED HIM! RIPPED HIM APART!” Orion screamed as he flew forwards, his fist slamming into the silver mech’s helm hard and he fell back.

Ratchet quickly grabbed Orion’s arms, “Stop ORION! STOP! That was a long time ago!”

The Prime brought his trembling helm to his Sire, his optics blazed brilliant white, and deep purple, the crooked lines slowly spreading from tainted optic.

Soundwave knelt next to Orion, his servos going to Orion’s arm, “Orion..”

“AND YOU!” Orion spun his helm on the dark mech, “You… you held me… trapped me, so I could… I could watch!” Orion’s frame began to hitch awfully, his rage turning to sorrow, and fear! “You held me just like… like the others… so many others…”

Soundwave stood slowly backing away from his love, his field pulled tight.

“Orion. Please calm down, kid. I know it seems fresh to you, but that happened a long, long time ago. We have come so far kid. Remember where you are.” Ratchet pleaded gently, his servo rubbing Orion’s back plates gently.

The Prime vented raggedly as he fought against the chaos in his spark and processor. Ratchet was right, that was long ago… was he willing to give up this peace for… for… old nightmares?

“You’re right R..R..Ratchet.” Orion strangled out as he pulled his shaking frame up. He was very aware of all the mechs that stared at him. “I.. I am sorry l..l..love. I need  a m..m..moment.” With that he strode swiftly from the room.

Ratchet looked over at Megatron. The silver mech was rubbing his helm, a large dent now adorning the left side. 

Megatron caught the medic looking at him, and he brought his optics down as he gritted his denta, “I deserved it medic. I remember what I did to him, to both of them.”

Soundwave keened miserably before he too left the room, Megatron’s optics following his friend’s escape he vented deeply. “I think that is all for tonight. We shall have our meeting tomorrow after Orion’s tests. Get some rest all of you, yet...” The large mech stood, his frame wobbling a bit as he did so. “I want you all to know how proud I am of the progress that we have made as a race. There will be things that we will each have to face now that our war is over. Some harder than others, but I think, if it means peace, and the salvation of Cybertron, than facing our old demons will be worth all of it. No matter how painful those demons may be.”  Megatron nodded as he left the training room, and went after his trine.

Ratchet groaned as he sat on the floor, his earlier joy dissipating quickly.  Rubbing his servo over his faceplates he looked at the bots around him. He didn’t need to read their fields to see that they were all miserable.

His dermas setting in a determined line, he stood up and put his servos on his hips. “ALRIGHT! Enough with all this misery! We will have plenty of time for that later! TRUST ME! For now, let’s all break into some more of Starscream’s high-grade and have us a good night, slag it! You two grab some chairs, I am too old to stand while drunk. Bulkhead, don’t you have some non-offensive human music we could listen to?”

Strika and Lugnut hooted, and even the Autobots seemed to relax a bit. Knockout smirked as he watched the bots around him work. “Taking care of every mech once again, huh?”

Ratchet rolled his optics, “Yeah, yeah… listen I will take care of tonight, if you deal with their hangovers tomorrow.”

Knockout smiled wider, “Deal, handsome.” He smacked the other medic playfully on the aft as he went to grab the high-grade.

Ratchet blushed deeply, watching the red bot walk off. His smile waned though as he thought of the mechs that would be missing the impromptu party… **_Oh Orion… I am so sorry you need to relive that slag all over again kid… That the three of you do. I guess we will see how strong your love for one another truly is._**

One of the vehicons placed a chair next to the medic and he nodded to him, “Thanks uhhh…”

“Peanut Butter, sir!” The vehicon stated proudly, lifting his fist to his chest.

“Right, thanks Pe…” Ratchet eyed the bot pointedly, yet he saw no hint of sarcasm on his faceplates. “You… you are serious… aren’t you?” Ratchet's faceplates fell into a sort of stupid awe.

“Uh, yes sir?” The vehicon said hesitantly, his optics moving back and forth.

“BAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” Ratchet burst out laughing, his frame bending from the effort. Somewhere in the back of his helm he felt bad for laughing at the kid’s chosen designation, and he tried to ease his rude laughter. He wiped the coolant from his optics, righting himself as he tried to calm down. When the kid just looked at him baffled Ratchet lost the little control he had, and laughed even harder!

  
“OHHHHH, OOOHHH, Pe…. Pe.. Oh PRIMUS, I can’t even SAY IT! BWAAHAHAHA! I am so sorry Pe… Ahhhh… Ok, ok. I AM so sorry kid, but…  pheeew, I can’t hahaha, I can’t call you that! Where the… hahahaha, what the _frag_ made you think that was A GOOD DESIGNATION!?” Ratchet had to hold onto the chair as he caught up with venting.

The poor vehicon lowered his helm, “I saw it on one of the human holovids… it was a show. A little human had a magical invisible friend Charlie, and he shared his peanut butter sandwich with him, and it seemed like Peanut Butter must be REALLY special to share with his invisible friend, and I wanted to be nice and important, and…”

“ALRIGHT KID! I got it!” Ratchet’s laughing had ebbed after the third _and._ “I… see why it means something to ya… yeesh. I just can’t call you… that.”

“Well some of my friends call me P.B., uhhh, sir.” The vehicon said hope in his voice.

“Fine, P.B. then… well, thanks for the chair, and.. sorry, bout laughing.” Ratchet said apologetically.

The vehicon straightened, placing his fist to his chest once more, “No worries sir! Your teammate Bulkhead says you can’t always keep your helm on straight cause your age sir.” Ratchet gaped at the dark mech, “But don’t worry sir, I think you are doing just fine!”

“Uhhhh Huuuuh…” Ratchet grumbled out, his helm swinging around as he scanned angrily for Bulkhead. “Well if you see young Bulkhead again, I would like you to let him know I am looking for him. Need to thank him for looking out for my old aft.”

“Of course, SIR!” The mech bowed before leaving.

Ratchet grumbled as he sat down, his arms crossing his chest plates as he glared around him. Thankfully, Knockout had returned with the high-grade, and Ratchet quickly grabbed a cube, washing it down in a nano-second.

“WHOA! Easy there, handsome! I thought you were taking tonight.” Knockout smiled at him as he placed the crate of cubes on a table Strika had set up. He walked back over to the grumpy medic, his optics playful.

Ratchet grumbled incoherently as he felt the warmth of the high-grade fill his tanks. His faceplates set in a determined scowl.

Knockout frowned, “Ohhhh, no ya don’t sweet spark! We are gonna enjoy tonight like every other mech!” He quickly plopped himself down into Ratchet’s lap, ignoring the stunned glances from the other bots in the room. “If you don’t cheer up, I am going to have to play dirty mech, and I warn you, I am very, _very_ good at playing dirty.” His voice grew husky as he licked his dermas suggestively.

Ratchet blanched, forcing his frame to sit up quickly. Knockout yelped as he almost rolled out of the older mech’s lap, yet found himself quickly caught by the larger mech’s servos. The red mech looked up to Ratchet’s worried optics, and he smiled, “My hero.”

Ratchet blushed bright blue as he smiled stupidly. “You turn me into a fragging idiot, ya know that?”

Knockout vented deeply as he snuggled his frame into the arms of the larger mech, “Well, a happier idiot at least.” Knockout teased before bringing his helm up, and lightly pressing his dermas against Ratchet’s. The older medic stiffened, aware that his… interest in Knockout was obviously no longer a secret. For a klik that thought terrified him. What would his team think!? What would the Decepticons think!? What would Orion… and then he realized just how fragging stupid that sounded, how stupid _he_ sounded.

Here they were trying to work together, rebuild relations between the two fractions, the end of the universe might be coming, and he was worried about being judged for finally being happy! For _finally_  wanting something for himself!? FRAG THAT!

He moaned has he deepened Knockout’s kiss, wrapping his servo around the younger mech’s helm. Knockout purred in his arms, his fans whirling as they kissed.

Suddenly Ratchet heard Peanut Butter yell from the other side of the room, “I found him SIR! The mech that warned me about your disabilities!”

Ratchet lifted his helm, his optics following the voice just to fall upon Bulkhead’s mortified faceplates. “You are lucky I am busy Bulkhead! Yet keep your optics open, I have a wrench with your designation on it!”

The green mech blanched, his large frame trying, and failing to slink away through the crowd sheepishly.

Knockout looked to Ratchet, his optics playful and curious, “Disability huh? Something I should know about?”

Ratchet snorted, “Pffft, yeah, I am old.”

Knockout laughed, pulling the older mech’s helm close once more, “I prefer to think of you as experienced. So very, very experienced.” Knockout pulled the larger mech in for a kiss once more, and Ratchet laughed inwardly.

**_You’re fragging right I am…_ **

**_………………………….._ **

Megatron found Soundwave in his normal haven. He was working diligently as his station, his long digits flying over the input boards at an almost blinding speed.

The silver mech vented deeply as he walked towards his friend. Amazingly enough the command center was empty beyond the two of them, and Megatron was fairly certain that he heard music echoing throughout the halls of the ship.

He had to smile at the blatant changes that had occurred since Orion/Optimus had appeared. So akin to the early solar-cycles where they used to celebrate life together, not drown in destruction, and death.

He stopped a few feet from his second in command. “Soundwave, we need to go speak to him.” Megatron said softly.

Soundwave remained silent, yet the silver mech was certain he saw his friend flinch.

Megatron groaned, “Soundwave, as much as I would like to ignore this as well, we are going to need to deal with his memories as they come. We knew this, to… one degree or another.”

“Soundwave fool for involvement.” Soundwave played an audio clip in response.

The larger mech rolled his optics, “We knew it would not be easy, my friend. Yet, Orion deserves more than us just hiding from what we have done.”

“Soundwave disagrees. No pain with distance.” The darker mech didn’t stop working as he played another clip, yet his frame had a slight tremble to it.

“That is a lie, and I know it more than you! When you didn’t approach him, he had no idea why, and he felt awful for it! Why do you think he went to you for comfort after the first flashback? He loves you Soundwave, and you being away from him, _hurts him_. He needs us right now, and you KNOW IT! So STOP running and…”

“SOUNDWAVE HURT ORION!” The darker mech screeched out, his vocalizer cracking with emotion. His digits had finally ceased their movements, and the smaller mech merely stood there, his vents ragged.

Megatron looked at his friend sadly, “Yes, as did I. So let us go speak to him, let him know we were so very wrong, and remind him of how much we lo…”

“Negative! Leave Orion. Orion safe. NOT HURT!” Soundwave’s masked optics looked at him over his shoulder.

Megatron growled lightly, “I told you Soundwave, staying away _will_ hurt HIM, AND YOU, AND… and ME! Do you have any idea how nice it is to hear your fragging VOICE after eons of WAR!? I didn’t bring that back to you, HE DID! You love him, and he loves you! YOU OWE HIM THIS! JUST… just like I do.” Megatron rubbed his faceplates, his frame felt exhausted. He walked up to his friend, placing a servo lightly on the shaking mech’s shoulder. “Please Soundwave, don’t disappear on me again. Please, I need you, and he does too. Let us work through this, together, just like we used to.”

The darker mech remained silent, his frame shaking in rage, and fear. He was angry at himself over something that had happened so long ago. He knew he couldn’t change what he did, yet he could… _perhaps_ learn to deal with its consequences. He didn’t feel he deserved his love’s forgiveness, but he would try and let Orion know how deeply sorry he was for all the wrongs he had done.

“Soundwave consents to apologize.” He played a broken audio clip as he turned to his leader.

Megatron looked at his friend grimly, “Very well. If that is all you can give, so be it. I just hope you keep an open mind about how he feels about all of this as well.”

The smaller mech nodded and they made their way out of the command center. The silver mech looked down at his companion, “Did you happen to find where he went?”

“Berthroom.”

Megatron smiled a little, “See. He didn’t just fly off, Soundwave. Give Orion some credit as well. He knows we love him, and want to make amends.”

The other mech remained silent, his processor running through all of the other things his love would one day remember of him, and Megatron. The possibilities made his tanks churn within him.

**_Will you be so willing to love us once you realize the depths of our descent, my love?_ **

………………………….

The Prime sat on the floor of the wash room. The cold oil spilling over his overheated frame gloriously, yet he was hardly aware of his surroundings.

His processor was utter chaos. Flashes of Jazz, being restrained, servos and faceplates he didn’t know roaming over him. Pain filled each burst, and his frame shook from it all.

He grabbed at his aching helm knowing that the marks had returned, he could feel them pulsing along his plates. Frag, he could even see a few that had made their way down to his chest plates.

He moaned miserably. He wished Megatron, or Soundwave were here with him, and yet… he was terrified of the thought. What if he looked at them and only saw the hospital, or Jazz, or Kup, or bombs, or energon, Flames, Rubble, WAR, DEAD frames, DEAD SPARKLINGS!?

“ARRRRRRRRGH….ahhhhh…. pleeease….unnnnn…it hurts…. everything hurts….” He sobbed quietly, his servos wrapping around the back of his helm as he rocked under the cold spray.

“Orion, may we come in?” His mate’s soft voice broke through the darkness as Orion lifted his heavy helm.

“Uhhhh, MEGATRONUS!” Orion cried out as he tried to run to his love, but only managed to crawl.

His bonded was there in an instant anyways, his wonderful arms wrapping around his frame and under his wings tightly. “It is alright Orion, you aren’t alone love. We are here.”

Orion’s sobs grew in volume as his love held him, his feverish frame shaking wretchedly.

Soundwave held back for just a klik, his spark terrified of hurting Orion further, but seeing  him so broken, and hurting already, Soundwave quickly made his way into the wash room.

He knelt next to the two mechs, his servo rubbing Orion’s helm softly. “Oh, my dear one. I am so sorry. So very sorry.” He whispered brokenly as he took off his mask.

Orion turned to him, his mismatched optics gleaming with coolant. “I did this… I did it when I left you… It is… al..all m..mm.my ff.fault.” He stumbled out.

“No, my love… we were wrong. We should have been better for you. We should have been better.” Soundwave wrapped his arms around the larger mech’s shoulders, his own optics filling with coolant.

The three of them sat like that for a moment, the pattering of cold oil, and quiet sobs being the only sound they made.

Finally Orion lifted his helm, “Megatronus, I am cold.” His voice was quiet and worn.

The larger mech smiled gently as he nodded, “As am I my love, may I move you to the berth, and dry you off?”

The smaller mech nodded weakly, and Megatron held him tightly as he pushed himself off the cold floor. Soundwave made his way around the two mechs, and turned off the spray. He followed the two mechs out to the berthroom, grabbing a few towels as he went.

Orion snuggled into his mate’s chest plates, his frame shivering slightly as he turned his optics to the freshly cleaned room. Though the dent in the wall remained, the desk had been removed, and mess picked up.

“My mess?” He asked quietly as he was placed down on the larger berth.

Megatron laughed gently, looking fondly at his second in command, “Soundwave is rather good at cleaning up after unexpected ‘episodes’. I have had quite a few myself, and every time I wake, the room shines.”

Orion looked up to the silver mech, his optics full and sad, “I am sorry you have had to suffer like that, Megatronus.”

Megatron peered at his love curiously. The fact that Orion had been calling him Megatronus had not escaped his notice, but he decided to not press the issue for now. Orion had enough on his processor right now. “I am not so certain I did not deserve them Orion, as you witnessed today.”

The white mech turned his helm quickly, his field tight. “I don’t want to think of it.”

Megatron nodded as he took a towel from Soundwave, and began to dry the shivering mech’s front.

Soundwave moved behind Orion, “Is it alright if I dry your back plates Orion?” The darker mech asked gently.

The white mech continued to stare at the floor, his optics open, but processor somewhere else. Soundwave looked up to Megatron nervously, his leader nodding as he too felt his spark clench in worry.

“Love?” Megatron asked a little louder.

Orion jolted slightly, “Huh? Oh, yes, of course Soundwave. Forgive me… my thoughts are a bit… chaotic.”

Soundwave smiled grimly as he moved behind the larger mech. Once more the trine fell into silence, each lost in his own darkness.

After a while Orion cleared his vocalizer, “I was raped, wasn’t I?” his voice was quiet, and weary sounding.

The two mechs stopped moving instantly, their optics finding each other’s over Orion’s shoulder.

Megatron grit his denta and he nodded, “Yes Orion. You were. Did, did you have a flashback?”

Orion looked at the floor, his optics dull as he shook his helm, “Not yet…” He said bitterly, “just flashes, feelings, fears…”

Megatron nodded slowly, his servo beginning to move once more, “Would you like to talk about them love?” His voice was so soft even Soundwave could scarcely hear it.

“Not really. I suppose I will know the details eventually… Does, does that have something to do with why you changed so much, Megatronus?” Orion lifted his helm, his mismatched optics looking at his love’s.

The silver mech stopped once more, his processor reeling. **_He keeps calling me Megatronus. He can see the difference between Megatronus, and Megatron? How much has he remembered?_**

“It does have much to do with why, my love. Yet, there are more horrors as well, none that I can ever truly prepare you for, Orion. I can only promise to be here to hold you when they come.” He gripped his mate’s helm gently.

Orion nodded, his optics dimming once more, “I have been afraid to have either of you near my valve since the beginning. I wasn’t absolutely sure why, yet now I know.”

His mate smiled sadly, “I can understand that. Before you spiked me the first time, I had had no mech near mine either. Yet, as scared as I was, I trusted you. I knew you wouldn’t hurt me, and you cared about my well being the entire time. I knew that you loved me, and I loved you, and suddenly I was no longer afraid.”

Orion frowned thoughtfully, his optics rising to his mate’s once more. “I love you Megatronus, and I trust you, you and Soundwave with all of my spark. What happened in the past… I know it will be difficult, for all of us as I continue to remember. I just ask that you don’t give up on me, on us.”

He turned his helm to Soundwave then, his optics pleading, “Are you going away Soundwave? I feel it, in your field… you want to.”

The darker mech’s violet optics widened for a klik, then fell in shame, “I almost did, Orion… I almost failed my promise. I am so used to running from emotions, that it has become natural. Forgive me love…”

“I forgive you.” Orion said simply, a small smile gracing his dermas.

Soundwave smiled as well, “I do not deserve you, Orion.”

“May I kiss you, Soundwave?” Orion asked suddenly, his optics glowing brighter as he asked.

“Always dear one, always.” The darker mech leaned forwards, his dermas brushing against Orion’s. They were gentle at first hesitant, and apprehensive. That nervousness gave way quickly as the two mechs pushed against each other harder, their fans clicking on as their frames began to warm.

Megatron watched the beautiful show for the first time in ages. Yes, they were all a bit different now, broken, tired, and so much older, yet it felt as if it were that first night they became a trine. When he had realized just how much these two mechs meant to him.

His engine revved unwittingly as he watched, breaking Orion from his kiss. His mate looked up to him, his optics blazing with need. “Megatron…” Orion moaned gruffly, his hips rising off of the berth slightly. “Please love, I want you to take me.”

Megatron’s optics narrowed at the request, even as he felt relieved that his love was calling him by his current designation once more. “Orion love... I understand if you are uncomfortable with it. I do not need to do so.”

Orion’s helm fell back and Soundwave began to rub along his wing’s sensitive protoform, “I want it Megatron. I don’t want to remember the feeling of any other mech’s servos on me but both of yours! Please, Megatron! I want to remember only what you two give to me!” Orion lifted his helm, his fanged denta visible as he vented raggedly.

The silver mech groaned, his doubts dissipating with each gasp, and jolt of his mate’s hips. “Last chance my love. I do not have to…”

“FRAGGIN TAKE ME MEGATRON!” Orion cried thrusting his hips high as he opened his valve panel.

The silver mech moaned as he fell to his knees before the berth, his helm falling between his mate’s thighs. “As you wish, my love.” He smiled wide before plunging his long glossa into Orion’s sopping port. His large servos grasped his mate’s legs tightly as he licked, and slurped at the moist valve.

“UNNNNN!” Orion called out as he sat up. His servos grabbed onto his love’s helm as he pulled it closer to his hips. “UNNNuhhhh! YES, Megatron! Ahhhhh…uuhhhh, just like that, love! Jus… UNNNNNN!!!” Orion jolted as Soundwave suddenly gripped the base of his tail roughly.

“ARRRRRGH, SOUNDWAVE!” He turned his helm to peer at the darker mech.

“Do you like that, my love?” Soundwave’s voice was husky, and thick.

When Orion merely groaned louder, the smaller mech began to stroke his lover’s tail slowly.

“UHHHHH…UNNN… Yes, gods Soundwave! Don…Don’t stop. Oh, please! AHHHHHH!” Orion’s hips lifted off the berth. He pulled Megatron’s helm even harder against his hips as he rode his love’s faceplates violently!

“UHHHH, UUUHHHHH, I can’t ohhhh. I am going to… ARRRRRRRRRGH!” Orion howled as he overloaded hard! His lubricant flowing from his puffy valve readily, and his love lapped at all of his juices greedily. He fell back to the berth, his venting rapid as he came down from his climax.

Megatron smiled as he stood, his optics roaming over the white mech’s heaving frame. “Seems you enjoyed that, my love.”

Orion looked up at him blearily, a wide smile on his faceplates. “More!”

Megatron laughed as he released his spike rubbing its girth slowly, “I want to watch you, and Soundwave my love. It has been so very long since I have seen the two of you together.” With that, the silver mech sat himself in one of the chairs in the room, his red optics bright as he lazily played with himself.

Orion growled as he flipped on the berth, his helm pushing forwards as he leaned towards Soundwave’s. “I love you, Soundwave.” He grumbled out before pushing his lips against the smaller mech’s.

Soundwave moaned against Orion’s intake, opening readily and he felt his lover’s glossa slip between his dermas. He fell back as Orion pushed him towards the berth, falling gently until he lay on his back under the larger mech.

Orion moved his helm then, his fanged denta biting gently along Soundwave’s jaw, his glossa licking at his long neck cables.

“Uhhhh, Orion!” Soundwave gasped, the heat beneath his panels growing almost painful.

“Open for me my love.” Orion whispered into the crook of the smaller mech’s neck.

“UUUUUGH! Yes Orion!” Soundwave’s frame arched high as he opened his valve plate, the port was already dripping, his lubricant falling to the berth beneath them.

Orion growled deeply at the submissiveness the other mech was showing him. “Both love. I want to have all of you.”

Soundwave moaned raggedly as he opened his spike panel as well, his length springing forth, hot and engorged.

Orion rumbled in approval as he began to work his way down the smaller mech’s frame with his glossa. He licked and caressed every deep seam, and sensitive cable until he was kneeling between his lover’s thighs.

Soundwave whimpered as he watched Orion lower his helm slowly towards his aching spike. His vents ceased for a nano-second as the larger mech’s glossa peeked out and oh so gently, licked the tip of his spike.

“ARRRRRRRRGH!” Soundwave’s helm tilted back as Orion slowly continued moving his helm down, swallowing his lover's great length in the blessedly hot tunnel of his intake.

Orion groaned at the noises that the darker mech emitted, and he could feel his own spike growing under his own panel painfully.

He brought a servo to the smaller mech’s valve, tracing along the outer ring as he lathered his digits in his love’s juices. Soundwave mewled, and bucked into his intake as he did so.

“Arrrrgh, Orion, PLEASE! Yes, my love!” Soundwave cried out as he lifted his helm, watching the white mech bob up and down along his length.

Orion lifted his optics to the smaller mech, staring at him intently as he slowly began to work his two digits into the steaming tunnel.

“UHHHHHHHHH! FRAG, ORION!” Soundwave bit his lower derma as he concentrated on his lover’s nimble glossa, and wonderfully agile digits. “Faster, my love! Please!”

Orion obliged as he began to thrust his servo into the smaller mech faster, and faster. His lover’s lubricant splashed out against his arm as his pace increased... not only with his plunging digits, but his sucking and slurping along his spike.

“ARRRRR, UNNNNNNUHHHHHHH… UUNNNNNN! PLEASE! OHHH, ORION! I AM…. AHHHHHHHHHHH!” The smaller mech’s helm fell back as his spike exploded in Orion’s intake, and his valve clenched tightly over the invading digits! His frame shook from the ferocity of the overload, his optics rolling into the back of his helm as he screamed with his release!

Orion swallowed his love’s thick lubricant greedily, sucking gently as he did so. When the last of the liquid emptied into his tanks, the white mech lifted his helm, his vents wild in his chassis. He gently removed his digits, and he moved up along the exhausted mech’s frame.

“I love you,” the white mech whispered, kissing the top of the other mech’s helm. Suddenly, he felt a weight behind him, and he turned his helm to find Megatron kneeling on the berth behind him.

“You two are incredible to watch, but now, it is my turn.” He growled as he rubbed the tip of his spike around Orion’s valve.

“Unnnn, Megatron.” Orion moaned out, carefully moving his servos so that he could hold himself safely over Soundwave’s frame.

The silver mech smiled widely as he placed the tip of his spike against his mate’s valve. “I will go slow at first. I imagine it has been a while for you Prime, and yet I cannot wait long enough to stretch you out my love.”

Orion moaned as he felt his port begin to slowly expand over the huge girth of his mate. He lowered his helm, forcing himself to relax as his mate entered him. He suddenly felt servos on his facplates and raised his helm a bit to find Soundwave staring at him.

“I want to watch your optics as he enters you.” The smaller mech whispered gruffly.

Orion growled at the request, his intake gaping as another inch of his mate pushed in. “Uuuuuugh, I love you both, so very much!”

Soundwave smiled, his optics never leaving Orion’s. “And we love you Orion. Uhhh, yes… show me what he makes you feel like!” The smaller mech felt his frame begin to grow warm once more as he watched the mech above him become undone by his leader’s spike.

“Uhhhhhh, Megatron! Unnnnn,” Orion’s optics narrowed painfully as his mate’s length finally reached the end of his valve. His arms shook, and venting was forced as the two of them stayed like that for a moment, each getting used to the feeling.

Soundwave groaned suddenly as he rubbed his hips up against Orion. “I want you in me as well, love.”

Orion looked at him with hazy optics and nodded. He could feel the darker mech’s digits rubbing at his spike panel, and he forgot he hadn’t opened it yet. Moaning, he slid the plate to the side, shivering as Soundwave grasped him tightly and led him to the his sopping entrance.

“Arrrrrrgh, Soundwave!” Orion felt his optics roll back as he entered the smaller mech’s tunnel.

Megatron growled as he pulled back a bit, and carefully moved forward. His movements forcing Orion’s hips down, his spike spearing into Soundwave deeper.

“AHHHHHHHH!” Orion cried at the doubled sensation.

His mate took that as a good sign, and began to plunge into him a little faster, and a little deeper with each thrust.

“Uhhhhhgh, Orion! It has been so long since I was inside you!” The silver mech growled out as he held onto his mate’s hips tightly.

The white mech whimpered as his frame was forced deeper and deeper into Soundwave with each thrust. “Me…Megatron! F…faster! Harder!” He begged, his servos curling into fists next to Soundwave’s frame.

“Yes my love!” Megatron roared as he _slammed_ into his mate hard!

“AHHHHHH!” Both Soundwave, and Orion screamed out from the force of the thrust!

“MOOOORE!” Soundwave mewled, his servos clutching at the mech above him desperately!

Megatron gladly obliged as he pulled back again before roughly plunging back in! He gripped Orion's hips tightly has he began wildly pounding into to him!

The two mechs beneath him whimpered and moaned as he fucked them. Orion’s frame being only a tool to fuck Soundwave with as well.

“UHHHHHH…Unnnnn, yes my trine! Let me please YOU!” Megatron bellowed out as he rammed into his mate’s sopping valve over and over. He felt himself getting close to his climax, the sensual squelching noises of wet valves, and the constant guttural moans causing him to lose whatever control he had.

Suddenly Orion’s cries grew loudest of all, and his valve began to constrict painfully! Megatron smiled in victory as he watched the Prime’s helm lift high into the air, his wings billowing out from his frame. “Unnnnn, UHHHHHHHHH, UHHHHHHHNNNN! MEGATRON! I, I CAAAAN’T…..”

The silver mech roared as he suddenly fisted his mate’s tail yanking up on the appendage hard! That was the end of it for Orion as he SCREAMED out raggedly! His thick spike erupted within the mech below him, and his valve sucked his mate in tightly as he overloaded!

“UNNN, UNNNN, UNNNN!” The Prime’s frame bucked between the two mechs wildly. His optics shuttering tight as he focused only on what was occurring between his legs. Somewhere in the haze of climax, he was aware of Soundwave clenching tightly around him as he too found his end.

Megatron roared once more, slamming his spike into the Prime’s compressing  valve, riding through his mate’s climax. Finally, the huge mech thrust deep, his servos digging into Orion’s aft as he emptied into the smaller mech hard!

Orion moaned at the feeling of being filled by his mate. He had known the feeling once before he was sure of it, and instantly remembered how much he loved it!

Megatron watched as his lubricant bubbled out of Orion’s valve, popping and dripping as it was forced out around his huge spike. He smiled at the sight, sensual, lewd memories filtering through his processor as he watched. It had been a very, very long time since he had overloaded that hard.

He gingerly pulled out of his mate, and reached over to ease the Prime’s shaking frame to lay on the berth between him and Soundwave.

The three of them lay there peacefully, their ragged vents, and whirling fans filling the room as they recovered.

Megatron rolled to his side, placing an arm over Orion’s side as he gently pulled the other mech against him.

Orion laughed weakly, “I love you both, and have missed you… for so very long.”

Megatron smiled as he snuggled into the Prime when he suddenly realized what the other mech had said. He brought his helm up to peer at his mate, but it seemed as if Orion had already fallen into recharge.

“Some things never change," Soundwave mused as he rubbed Orion’s helm lightly.

Megatron nodded as he remembered Orion always being the first of them to fall into recharge after interfacing. “Did you catch what he said, Soundwave?”

The darker mech nodded, his optics dim, “I don’t think he remembers everything Megatron, but maybe the feeling of the loss of contact?”

The silver mech hummed, his optics narrowing as he thought of the weight his mate’s words held… if that were the case... “Do you think, as Orion was always there obviously, that he truly felt the loss of us… that whole time?”

Soundwave frowned as he sat up. His frame was wonderfully sore as he grabbed at the towels they had used earlier. He handed one to Megatron as he began to clean himself up. “Perhaps… Yet, I suppose the only way to find out is as his memories come back. I hope not though… I at least had _you_ through it all. I can only imagine having to spend all of that time alone…”

Megatron growled quietly as he cleaned both himself and Orion’s frames. “Locked away somewhere deep within himself for eons… alone, scared, and not in control of anything. Frag it, Soundwave. I truly hope that wasn’t the case.”

Soundwave took his friend’s towel from him, throwing it in the wash room before settling back into the berth. “I agree Megatron… yet for now, let’s revel in the wonder of this moment? A moment I never thought I would ever get to experience again.”

The silver mech smiled as he too lay down. He stretched his arm out over Orion once more, but further this time so that he could rub Soundwave’s arm gently. “Soundwave, I love you. Thank you, thank you for everything.”

Soundwave laughed quietly, his spark fluttering with hope, perhaps long forgotten dreams... “I love you too, my friend. I would be lost without you.”

The three bots snuggled close, and for the first time since the war began, they felt home once more.


	25. Primus, Help Me...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are so awesome! I hope you like all that is to come... *.* Here is this chapter, YAY! I hope you enjoy! Also, it is late... and I am posting semi edited work. We had no power for a while, so I couldn't edit like I wanted to... and a beta seems like a dream. ****(MAGIC SPARKLES OF GRAMMAR!!!)*****  
> They seem like a Unicorn to me... perhaps seen, but uncommon, :). I have never had one, yet... in a way, that should show many of you that you can write without help! It can be hard BUT... you can find the awesome within yourself! The determination! Betas look awesome though, but it is possible, albeit... more chaotic and raw... without one. Unicorns are awesome in general... so yeah....

Orion awoke within the warmth of his trine. His frame snuggled in between the two mechs as they stayed deep in recharge. His spark whirled happily within his chassis. He may not have remembered all the past nights they had found themselves like this, but his spark seemed to remember the comfort.

The Prime smiled as he tried to fall back to recharge. The warmth of his mates began to lull his processor back to blissful oblivion when he suddenly remembered what the day would hold for him. **_The tests begin today…_**

His spark no longer whirled in bliss as he thought about what he would need to do… what they would incite in him. **_Will I come back from it? Will this just make it worse!? What is inside of me!? What am I becoming?_**

“Peace, love.” Megatron’s quiet voice broken him from his growing fears, and he turned his helm to find his mate’s red optics watching him.

 **/Forgive me for waking you, Megatron./** Orion apologized through their bond, his servo lifting to rub his lover’s arm.

 **/Here you are near panic, and yet you apologize to me? Oh Orion, you can be so foolish sometimes./** Megatron smiled as he pulled his frame closer. **/What troubles your processor my love?/**

Orion grimaced as he snuggled his helm into the crook of the larger mech’s neck. **/I am well, Megatron. Merely fleeting thoughts and worries./**

 **/You have always been a terrible liar. If you do not wish to speak on it, I will not push you. I am here though if you need me./** Megatron rubbed along Orion’s back plates as he checked his chronometer. He groaned as he realized it was nearly daybreak already. **/I am going to go get some energon love. Would you like some warmed?/**

Orion’s field flared fearfully before he was able to pull it in tightly once more, and Megatron scowled down at him. “Orion, what is it?”

“Tests.” The Prime relented begrudgingly and he pushed himself into a sitting position before scooting himself off the large berth. Megatron followed his mate noting as Soundwave began to stir.

The Prime stood silent and stoically, yet his spark trembled with fear. “I am apprehensive.”

Megatron nodded as he walked up to the smaller mech and held him tightly. ‘Soundwave and I will be there with you. I am certain that we will be able to pull you from the darkness love. You need to have some faith in yourself, and us.”

“I do Megatron, that is why I agreed to take part I just…” Orion’s optics rose from the floor, and he looked sadly up to his mate. “I don’t want you to see me like that Megatron. I do not want Soundwave to see me like that, I want no mech to see me like that… I am supposed to be an example for you all. A Prime, a portion of Primus himself.” Orion stepped out of his love’s warmth, his servos rubbing at his helm. “Yet I RAGE, Megatron. I _raaaage._ Like some sort of a… a demon.”

Soundwave sat up from the berth, his deep violet optics following Orion as he paced, “Orion, that is precisely why we need to do the tests. We need to work out a way to bring you back before it gets to the point where it beyond controlling.”

“I know…” The Prime vented as he smiled grimly. “Come, let us fuel before the madness of the day begins.” He made his way to the door.

“Orion,” Megatron grabbed his mate’s arm before he left, “It will be alright love, I believe in you.”

The Prime’s optical ridge was drawn tight as he nodded, “Thank you Megatron. I wish I had as much faith in myself as you do. Yet, I do not plan on giving up. Come love, the sun rises and the day has begun.”

The silver mech watched his mate leave, his helm turning towards his second in command for a klik, the darker mech’s optics mirroring his own worry before he followed after.

…………………………

Ratchet, Soundwave, Megatron, Orion, Solus, Shockwave, and the newly appointed Predaking found themselves in a site of one of his old mines for the tests.

Megatron had been notified by Shockwave about the new development of the predacon over his morning energon. Literally when the huge fragging mech walked into the mess hall! Apparently the beast could transform now, not only transform but speak for himself!? He eloquently introduced himself, bowing and declaring his undying loyalty to Megatron and Orion.  

The scientist assured him that Predaking, as he so arrogantly called himself, would respect Orion as his Alpha now, and not attack him. That didn’t stop the former warlord from glaring at the huge mech as it spoke gently to his mate.

Apparently the beast had a _great deal_ of respect for Orion, and eagerly asked the Prime many questions about his own predacon programming. Orion had mentioned something about the possibility of Predaking helping control his bestial side, and in many ways Megatron could see the sense in that yet… the way the mech looked at his mate made his spark roil inside him. The predacon looked at Orion with open admiration, and awe… a little _too much_ awe for his tastes.

Soundwave walked next to him as they made their way to the site, his masked helm lifting towards his leader’s narrowed optics. When Orion suddenly laughed at something Predaking had said, Soundwave was certain he heard a small growl come from his friend. “Lord Megatron?”

The silver mech shook his helm as he turned his helm to the smaller mech, “What, Soundwave?” He asked gruffly, his optics immediately going back to Orion as the smaller mech laughed once again.

“Heated field.” Soundwave almost laughed at his leader’s barely contained jealously.

“We are in a desert Soundwave, it is warranted.” Megatron grumbled out, his optics blazing.

“Predaking honorable. Protect, assist Orion.”

That got Megatron’s attention off the other mech, and he looked at Soundwave desperately. “You like him TOO Soundwave!?”

The darker mech shrugged, “Kind, respectful, loyal. Admirable qualities.”

Megatron growled as he gritted his denta, “He is disgustingly honorable isn’t he? Reminds me of Optimus, when he was irritatingly noble.”

Soundwave chuckled lightly as they finally made it to their destination.

Ratchet and Shockwave began to get their equipment and scanners ready as Megatron made it to his mate’s side.

“Yes, I had not thought of that Predaking,” Orion was saying as he pursed his dermas in thought, “I believe the humans have something similar that they call meditation. I think I could try that if, if I could just keep my processor from glitching so often.”

“It may aid with that as well, my Prime. To look into one’s self is a great spiritual journey that can open many doorways to understanding themselves, and the world around them.” Predaking smiled gently at the smaller mech.

Orion smiled back at him, “You are very wise Predaking. Thank you for all of your advice. I truly do appreciate it.”

The hulking mech bowed, “I am honored to be of assistance, my Prime.”

“Please do not bow Predaking, I…” Orion yelped as he suddenly felt his mate’s strong arm wrap around his torso, and pull him into a passionate kiss.

Soundwave rolled his optics behind his mask as he watched the exchange, and nodded in greeting to the predacon.

Megatron finally released the smaller mech, Orion’s faceplates burning bright blue as he wobbled on his pedes slightly. “Well, that was, ahem.. unexpected.” The Prime laughed lightly as he peered at his mate.

Megatron flashed a broad smile as he wrapped his arm around Orion’s waste, holding him close. “I am worried for you is all, my _mate_. I know today will be hard on you, and I wanted to remind you how much I love you, and that _I_ am here for you.”

Orion’s helm tilted as he looked at the larger mech curiously, “I see, well thank you, my love.” Orion’s smile began to dissolve as Ratchet made his way over to them.

Megatron’s jealously dissipated as well when he felt Orion’s field all but disappear,  the severity of what brought them out here hitting him once more.

“OK kid, we are ready to begin, you gotta… you need to…” Ratchet vented angrily as he struggled to get the words out.

“I understand Ratchet.” Orion smiled sadly, his steady optics looked up to Megatron’s nervous red ones. “Could you assist with the restraints, Megatron?”

The silver mech nodded darkly as they made their way to the pile of stasis cuffs and chains. The two mechs worked quietly, their processors filled with far too many fears to speak of.

Orion knelt in the hot sands, his frame still and controlled as each shackle was latched onto him. He looked only at the sands beneath him, he couldn’t look at his love right now. He knew if he did his resolve may break and he would beg to be freed, beg to be taken from this awful place. Beg Megatron and Soundwave to run with him, leave the universe to its own…

The Prime growled quietly, chastising himself for such dishonorable thoughts. His love placed a gentle servo on his shoulder, “I need you to lift your helm, my love.” The larger mech said softly, and the Prime was once more amazed at how such a large imposing mech, could sound so small sometimes.

Orion lifted his helm, his mismatched optics shuttering as he did so. He reveled in the sun’s warmth for a moment, focusing on that other than the cool steel ring that his love’s shaking servos were placing around his neck. **_He is shaking… oh… Megatron… I am so sorry to put you through this. To put you all through this._**

Megatron groaned as the collar closed with a resounding click, his spark in agony as he looked over his love’s chained frame. Orion’s helm lifted to the sun, his optics shuttered, dermas set and determined. **_He looks so much more collected than I feel…_** Megatron knew Optimus to settle within the same façade of perfection when chaos was erupting around him.

Orion lowered his helm, opening his optics to stare at the ground once more. “Thank you Megatron, for everything. I am sorry, to put you through this.” Orion’s voice was so low the larger mech almost didn’t catch what he said.

“Orion… I love you. There is _nothing_ I wouldn’t go through, for you.” Megatron whispered back. He wanted to hold his love. Hold him and tell him everything would be alright. Yet he knew both of them needed the space as well. This wasn’t just little Orion anymore, it was a mech that was a leader, an example for the rest, and he needed to be treated as such. Plus… he wasn’t certain if he wouldn’t just grab Orion and run. Run from all of this slag…

Orion finally brought his optics up, and Megatron felt his spark clench at their intensity, “Will you stop me if I become too lost?”

The silver mech fought from flinching at his mate’s question, “I will fight with everything I have to pull you from the darkness, Orion.”

The Prime remained silent for a moment, his mismatched optics searching as he looked deeply into the other mech’s. “You must stop me, Megatron, if it comes to that. I ask this terrible thing of you, I know, but I think you are the only one who could honor my request. I need you to keep them safe, from me.”

Megatron growled, “I will, frag it!” He looked away angrily, his frame shaking as he processed what he just promised.

“Thank you, Megatron… thank you.”

Megatron nodded angrily as he stood, “Let’s get this over with.”

Orion watched his mate angrily stomp off, his spark breaking with what he was asking of him. **_Forgive me…_**

The other bots were placed at a far distance from the bound Prime, just in case his incited rage caused his power to erupt. Megatron and Soundwave stood towards the Prime’s right side, Ratchet and Souls directly in front of him with some scanning equipment, and Shockwave, and Predaking to his left, also with some equipment.

Solus called out to him, “Now Prime… for the recovery we will try both your mate’s influence, and if that is not enough, I will utilize what power I have to bring you back to yourself. Let go though, when you feel the rage come through, we need to make sure we can stop you at unrestrained levels… better now before they grow worse, got it?”

Orion nodded, his faceplates set. He made sure to keep his field pulled as tight as possible. He wasn’t sure how long he would be able hold it like that once the rage came, but he would try… Megatron didn’t need to see his change as well as feel it.

Shockwave walked up to the bound Prime, “Our objective is to incite your rage, Prime. I have calculated numerous methods to do so, and have concluded that we shall reach that objective with the highest degree of success through the suffering of innocents.”

Orion immediately lifted his helm, his optics wide, “WHAT!?”

“Predaking has volunteered to be the catalyst.” With that Shockwave turned, and made his way towards the now kneeling predacon.

“WHAT!? NO!!! I refuse this method!” The Prime looked around him desperately, yet all of the mechs around him merely stood there looking sad, yet determined.

Orion couldn’t believe what was happening! He turned his helm back towards the scientist, his optics growing wider as he watched the purple mech pull out a wicked looking whip. “ARE YOU INSANE!!!” Orion screamed, suddenly struggling with the bonds that were wrapped around his torso. He desperately looked to his lovers, yet they both stood quiet.

“MEGATRON!? This isn’t worth IT! STOP HIM! PLEASE!” Orion growled as the chains bit into his protoform deeply, gouging into the soft protoform between his plates.

He looked to Ratchet and Solus and much like his loves, they merely stood there looking grim. “What is WRONG WITH ALL OF YOU! I REFUSE TO DO IT THIS WAY!” Solus remained looking at him calm, and resolved, but Ratchet had turned his helm away.

Orion snarled, “STOP THIS! Let me GO! I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO DO THIS!” His spark was thundering within him! **_WHY!? Why are they allowing this!? FOR ME!? I DON’T WANT IT!? WHY IS NO ONE LISTENING!? Ohhhh, please, please don’t do this… not like this…_**

He turned back to Shockwave, his spark roiling in disgust and horror as he watched the purple mech raise the whip high above his helm, “NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!” Orion screamed as fire ran through his frame! **_WHY IS NO ONE HELPING!? DO THEY THINK I AM WORTH THIIIIIS!?_**

“NOOOOOOOOOO! You FRAGGIN MONSTER!” Orion ROARED, his frame burning from the inside out.

The whip began to come down, and the world blazed in chaos around the PRIME as his helm fell back, and he gave into his RAGE! **“AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!!!!!!!!!!”**

**………………………………….**

Orin felt as if he were pulled deeply by some unknown force. He felt his conscious being devoured by that void, yet it felt warm, welcoming. As if he were slipping under a warm blanket.

He hung there, in that safe comfort, his spark at ease. **_What happened? Where am I?_**

Suddenly a deep, comforting voice brushed against his audials. _I have been waiting for you, young one._

Orion lifted his helm, “Who?”

_You look so very tired young one, lost, and afraid… why?_

The Prime felt his spark ache with the weight of everything he had gone through recently, “I do not think I am strong enough, for those that need me.” The warmth of the void seemed to increase, it didn’t burn, just eased his aching frame.

_They expect much of you young one, and you are already so broken…_

Orion remained silent. He didn’t want to believe he was so far gone. He was tired yes, lost, but he had a job to do! He needed to keep every mech safe, save his planet, this one, the universe… and then…  and then sacrifice his spark… his dreams, his hopes for them all. He could do that! He was honored too! He… he…

Orion sobbed suddenly, curling his frame into itself. **_I am so weak! What is wrong with me!? I am their protector! My worth is nothing compared to all of them! I am… just a tool… just a tool…_**

_You must save the universe, and yet… what has this universe shown you but its horrors?_

Orion lifted his shaking helm, “What?” his voice was quiet.

_Do you not remember young one? Megatronus may be blamed for destroying Cybertron, but has any mech wondered why he would change so drastically? You used to know, young one. This universe has shown you nothing but pain and agony… You, and your love…_

Orion narrowed his optics as he thought of his flash backs, the fires, the screams, the deaths… yet, all of that was a result of the war! A result of…

_Megatronus is the only mech that has fought for you, young one. You were torn asunder by the greed of Cybertronians, then placed back together with only the pieces they could use, for their own means. You became their tool. A tool sent out to destroy the one mech that ever truly loved you…_

“That, that isn’t true… I had to save the world from his tyranny… he even admitted it!” Orion’s voice shook as he tried to push the rising doubts from his processor.

_His tyranny, incited by the very mechs that sent you upon him… he tried to save you from their evil. It was they that started the war young one, not your love… He merely fought within the chaos they wrought, without you…  Here young one… let me show you what Cybertron has done to its savior…_

Orion felt a cold pressure against his helm, his optics widening with fear as a torrent of information suddenly exploded throughout his helm!

He saw flashes of himself being tortured, poisoned, and beaten. He saw Megatronus as he held him through his night terrors, his love crying as he watched him break over and over again. He saw the bodies along the streets of Kaon. He remembered the dead sparkling that he smelted as tears fell from his faceplates, and the citizens looked on numbly. He felt the terror as he struggled within chains too often, felt hateful servos crawling upon his frame as they laughed.

He then saw the glitter of the senate, the supposed leaders of all that pain. Their tanks full, and frames healthy as they let their people rot around them. He saw their disdain for the lower caste, their dismissal of Megatronus’s pleas, their lies, Rev, their servos, smirks.

He saw Megatronus crumble when he became a Prime, saw him break as he lost his love to the _tool_ he had become. He saw as he was indeed sent upon Megatron then. He worked with the senate as his mate suffered through his loss. He saw the war, bloodshed, dead sparklings, fires, bombs, Megatron weeping as he fought against the mech that took his love from him. He screamed out as Cybertron fell before his optics.

Then on Earth he saw the humans as they fired upon his team, endangered the children his team had come to love. Saw MECH as they mutated the Cybertronians to use as their own personal weapons.

Finally, he watched as he was punished once more for loving Megatron, by the very Primes that had ABANDONED their charges so long AGO! Just as PRIMUS had! He watched as they locked him away cruelly, and he felt his despair as he waited to become a _tool_ ONCE AGAIN! He saw Solus come, with her disrespect, and cold words TELLING him his _DESTINY_ was to save those very PRIMES, save the cruel HUMANS, save the wretchedness of CYBERTRON, SAVE EVERYTHING THAT HAD EVER HURT HIM OR HIS LOVE! OVER, AND OVER , AND OVER AGAIN!

He came back, his helm reeling. The images, feelings had surely been abridged, and broken, but Orion couldn’t help but feel rage take over him once again.

_You fight for a universe that is dark, and cruel young one… One that will surely destroy itself in the end regardless…and you will never have your dreams. You will sacrifice yourself for creatures that will neither care, nor appreciate what you have done._

Orion moaned brokenly. He didn’t want to believe it was true! And.. and it shouldn’t matter anyways… He was a Prime! He was supposed to be the example… wasn’t he? He couldn’t want anything for himself, could he?! He was a tool and he was fine with that… wasn’t he? Orion felt his fanged denta grind at the thought.

_Do not fear, I can help you, young one. I can give your dreams; give you your love. I can give all of this to you while protecting your charges, and keeping your spark…_

Orion jolted with hope, and he felt the warm comfort of the void swirl around him encouragingly.

_The universe needs a leader, one that can keep their inherent evil at bay. I can help you guide them, young one. Make them one… under YOUR JUST and TEMPERED rule. You may have your love by your side, he is strong, and he understands the taint upon this universe better than you! We will rule them all! Save them from themselves! They need our guidance!_

Orion felt his frame burn with his fury, and rising hope. Yet somewhere deep within his spark something made him fearful of the deep voice. Something pained him with the thought of ruling over other creatures, he could lead perhaps, but rule… for their own good?  “There are some good honest creatures though… They aren’t all…”

_We shall protect the innocents by ruling them, young one! So they do not fall to their own evils! They shall all be saved, and you may keep your spark, your dreams! Just let me in young one. Give in to the power within you. I shall carry your burdens with you…_

Orion felt a flare of panic as the warmth grew, especially near his spark chamber. “I am uncertain…”

His voice crackled and glitched, even as his spark bloomed with the thought that he could have his dreams, he could have everything, AND take care of his charges, as a God should.

**_As a true God should…_ **

“What of Cybertron? Without my spark, how will it awaken?” Orion asked suddenly.

_I have power enough to heal Cybertron. It shall glow as never before._

“Who… who are you?” Orion whispered, his spark growing.

_A savior young one, a friend. You are no longer alone._

Orion sobbed as he felt that warm blanket begin to overtake him. He wouldn’t be so lost! He could have his dreams, his love, and fulfill all that he should!

He felt himself laugh as he reveled in the warmth, the panic gone as he felt the tug at his spark.

_Let my power course through you, young one. Be my vassal, my Knight for the New Age!_

Orion reached to open his spark chamber, when suddenly he realized his frame was covered in those wretched jagged lines. He watched as they continued to grow, even as he was bathed in this glorious warmth, this comfort.

**_Something isn’t right..._ **

He frowned as he pulled his servos away, his spark suddenly thundering in his chassis.

**_It is too easy… too perfect…_ **

_Is it, young one? Is there such a thing as too perfect, and would it be so horrible? Is any of what I have said so horrible? Is having dreams, awful? Is having a life with your love, wretched? Is ruling over creatures that have it within them to destroy themselves, so terrible? Must you always sacrifice? Must your love?_

Orion had no answer beyond _yes. Yes. Yes_ like the good little TOOL he had been made FOR… and that thought just made him angrier. He thought of all the flashes he had experienced earlier. Of the death, fire, hate, pain, tears… every evil this universe had ever succumbed to.

_I am here for you, young one… and I am ever patient. I shall wait for the day you finally choose to live for more than just the masses._

The warmth left him then as reality started to come blazing back to him, and with it…. the weight of everything he could have solved! All of it burning within his spark! Everything that he gave up, and for what!?

The weight of everything that was just EXPECTED of HIM! EXPECTED of MEGATRON! JUST FOR THEM ALL TO DESTROY EVERYTHING ALL OVER AGAIN!

 Orion grabbed his helm as he roared, his spark in utter chaos, and _despair_!

 ………………………

 **“AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!!!!!!!!!!”** Orion roared as he finally succumbed to his rage, and the Earth seemed to shutter with his fury.

Megatron felt his spark shatter as he watched his love descend. Long jagged lines ripped along Orion’s frame as the mech raged against his bonds, his screams turning dark, and deep, even the air felt heavier around the mine’s entrance. The ground under the bound mech suddenly concaved a few feet deeper into the landscape. The sands that erupted from the sudden concussive power swirled around the Prime as if trapped in an orb around him.

Ratchet gaped as Orion changed before his optics. While the Fallen had had a sense of foreboding that ebbed off of him, Orion’s was so much darker. To feel such darkness, such power filtering off of one of the kindest, most honorable mechs Ratchet had ever known… it was spark breaking.

Orion’s helm fell as he stopped screaming, his frame steaming where the dark purple lines glowed. They covered the white mech from helm to the bottom of his chassis on his left side, some going down his shoulder.

“Oh, Primus… what have we done?” Ratchet whispered as his servos lifted to his intake.

Solus gritted her denta next to the medic. In that moment she felt the bite of her failure more painfully than ever. She didn’t know the young Prime long, but to see him become devoured by this darkness was a horrifying thing to witness. **_What if we cannot bring him back once it gets too strong? It has already overtaken him so much further. Is it because we are so close to Unicron? Is it feeding into his darkness, and over taking Primus’s light?_**

Shockwave’s optic widened as he watched the change. He had known it wouldn’t take any true damage to come to Predaking for Orion’s rage to take over. The mech was far too noble to allow another mech to suffer for his sake. He had passed the idea onto Megatron in secret, and as much as he Lord had vented his disdain of the idea, he had seen the sense of it as well. This way, Orion wouldn’t have to suffer long to become enraged. It would be quick, and certain… and it worked.

Soundwave whimpered next to Megatron as he watched Orion’s venting frame. “Soundwave, uncertain of capacity to handle consequences of tests.”  his voice glitched, and buzzed brokenly.

“Be steady, Soundwave. Orion is in there, and he needs us.” Megatron stated, his optics blazing but steady.

“U**und** understood, Lord Megatron.” Soundwave strangled out.

Oddly enough, the Prime seemed to be relatively calm. Yes, the sands around him continued to swirl with power and the air felt far heavier but the mech was still, almost collected looking. In so many ways, that concerned the mechs around him more…

Megatron vented deeply as he began to move a little closer, “Orion, my love?” Orion’s helm hung there, his frame trembling slightly.

The silver mech looked over at Shockwave quickly, the purple mech was studying the incoming data. The scientist raised his helm then, sensing his lord’s questioning optics, “Uncertain if approach is logical, Lord Megatron.”

Megatron nodded as he looked to his love once more. Orion moaned brokenly, yet still seemed oddly subdued. Solus Prime came to stand beside the former warlord.

“It has advanced so far in such a short period of time.” Solus said quietly. She tilted her helm to the larger mech next to her, “Megatron, we could lose our last hope of saving Cybertron at this rate. We could lose Primus.”

Megatron snarled at her, “Frag Cybertron femme! Cybertron has been dead and cold for eons, it is Orion that I worry for. He… he doesn’t deserve this. Not after everything he has done for all of us… After he has carried the fate of so many, for so long.” The silver mech felt his spark throb painfully; apparently Orion’s side of the bond was slowly opening again. He was both grateful to feel it, as well as terribly saddened by what he felt. For a moment as Orion had screamed, he had literally felt nothing, not quite like a bond break, but it was as if Orion was no longer within his own frame… frag, like he wasn’t even in this accursed  realm. Now that it was tangible once more Megatron could feel the horrible weight his mate was feeling, it almost felt suffocating in a way.

He ignored the rest of the mechs as he forced his pedes forward.  Orion’s helm finally lifting as his blazing optics followed him darkly. As he approached, the sands around Orion suddenly froze, causing the larger mech to stop for a nano-second. He watched as the granules floated there, frozen in time, before finally falling back to the earth.

Megatron smiled grimly as he continued to his love, stopping a few feet in front of the bound mech before he knelt down slowly. The two mechs stared at one another for a moment silence between them.

“Orion, are you there love?” Megatron asked quietly.

“I am.” Orion answered simply, his voice grating, and broken.

Megatron vented, his optics narrowed, “Do you know who I am?”

Orion vented sadly, “My love…”

Megatron smiled sadly at his lover’s words; he felt Solus presence behind him suddenly.

The Prime stopped right behind him, “Are we _truly_ speaking to Orion!? You look tainted as ever mech. We have ways of telling if you are lying!” Solus growled at the chained mech.

“Solus, do you really think it is wise to…” Megatron had started when Solus’s frame suddenly went flying back from some unseen force!

The femme screamed as she was flung back so far that she _slammed_ into the side of the mine’s entrance! Megatron whipped his helm back to Orion, his optics wide.

Orion merely looked at him dully, his helm still turned towards his own. Megatron wasn’t even sure if the Prime had moved his optics when he threw the femme away. “Orion!? Did you just…?”

“Yes.” Orion grated out simply.

“WHY!?” Megatron looked back towards where Solus had fallen, the femme was getting up with Ratchet’s help.

Desperation was in the medic’s optics as he looked back at Megatron. **:Megatron! We should never have done this!:**

 **:Peace medic, Orion is in there somewhere. I will find him! I can’t give up on…:** Megatron’s entire field was suddenly overwhelmed with Orion’s and he shivered under its power. It emitted love, admiration for his strength, longing, and agonizing loss.

“Orion, love, I need you to come back to me now.” Megatron said softly.

“What if I am already here, Megatron? What if this is what I am? Would it be so _wrong_? I have been made aware of much of the past recently.” Orion growled darkly, his helm falling to the ground. “Would it be so wrong to feel rage for what has been done to us? What they turned us INTO!?”

Megatron felt his spark hammering in his chassis. Orion sounded so dark, so enraged…so much like himself.

“Did you have a flashback, love? I am so terribly sorry for the way we angered you. Shockwave was never going to hurt…”

“I know,” Orion smiled sadly, his field lifting from the oppressive pressure it had suddenly emitted, and he turned his helm back to his mate, “I know Megatron, and you do not need to apologize to me, my wonderful love. Never again.” Orion’s field filled with anger once again, anger and fervent bitterness. “I am so very sorry for what they did to you, to us.” His mismatched optics blazed with his fury.

Megatron was a little taken back. **_What DID he remember?_**

Suddenly the chains around his love all shattered around his frame, and the winged mech leaned forward to wrap the startled silver mech in his arms.

Megatron held his field tight as terror ran through his spark. **_He just destroyed his chains… Like it was nothing! What… what…WHAT!?_**

Orion kissed his mate’s helm gently, his arms tight around the larger mech, “Megatron, I could make it that we are never apart again, my love. I could make it so we have our happy ending, as does the universe. Just say the word, and I shall make everything perfect, my love. All our dreams could come true.”

Megatron was terrified, he tried to smile as Orion pulled his helm back and looked into his optics, “Orion, love… I, I don’t understand.”

Orion smiled lovingly, his field strong and warm around the former warlord. “There is a way to get everything we want. A way where I do not need to sacrifice myself, where we have our dreams, where we will rule over all and make this universe…”

“RULE OVER… Orion, what? Where is this coming from, my love?” Megatron felt his smile slipping as his spark grew cold.

Orion’s optics grew serious, “I know why you did what you did. Why you retaliated the way you did Megatron. What they did to us was _vile._ Now I must _sacrifice_ myself once again because of their evil!? Sacrifice you!? If I give up my spark, you said you didn’t want to be alone again Megatron! I cannot allow you to offline! NOT FOR THEM! NOT AFTER I FOUND YOU ONCE MORE!”

Megatron felt the heat, the _rage_ running through his mate’s frame. He groaned, as Orion fell over him, his mate’s optics almost hypnotic as they lay in the sands.

“Orion… I… I was wrong…” The silver mech stuttered out, his frame heating at his mate’s passion. He was so used to being just as enraged as Orion was in this moment, just as in need of retribution.

Suddenly Solus came forward, her field crackling with righteous fury. “BEGONE UNICRON!” She screamed as she threw he hammer forward, right at Orion!

His mate never took his optics off of him as he lifted a servo, and as the hammer came at him at a blinding speed, caught it in midair.

Every bot stared in awe, and perhaps horror as Orion then turned his helm slowly to Solus, his optics bright and focused. “You are no Prime, Solus. You are a coward, and you have hidden so long that you have become _WEAK_! Welcome to the darkness of reality… false PRIME!” Orion blinked and the mighty forge SHATTERED in his servo!

Megatron gaped, watching the fabled weapon fracture next to him, his optics growing as dread filled him. “OOOORIIION!!” He called out as burning bits of the weapon clattered against his frame. “Orion! We needed THAT! ARE YOU MAD!?”

Suddenly Orion’s blazing optics flickered, as if _finally_ catching up to his actions, and the Prime shrunk back. He crawled off of his love, ripping his frame across the sands as the terrible lines of purple diminished at long last.

Both Megatron and Solus gaped at Orion. The Prime sat there in the sands shivering… cold and alone, his vents wild within his chassis.

“I… I… forgive me…” Orion begged before his optics rolled to the back of his helm, and he collapsed. His winged frame falling against the desert floor, swirls of disrupted sand cascading along his inert frame.

For a klik every mech was silent, their optics falling to the once mighty Prime, the once righteous Orion…

Solus fell to her knees before her broken weapon, her servos lifting the silver pieces as sand ran between her digits. “Oh Primus… I have failed so terribly…”

Megatron growled violently at her as he moved beside his unconscious mate. He looked down at his love, his spark in agony. **_Ohhh, my love… you don’t deserve this…You deserve… so much more. I am so sorry…_**

He lifted his mate’s limp frame and turned to the rest of the bots around him. Their optics held fear, apprehension, and mistrust. Megatron growled at them all, “This is ORION, OPTIMUS! How DARE any of you forget THAT!”

When he received nothing but concerned glares, he growled louder, “OPEN A GROUND _BRIDGE!”_ Megatron yelled as he held his love tightly.

Megatron heard the familiar crackle of the bridge opening, and he strode forward furiously. He stopped at Ratchet’s side. “You have been with him every step of the way medic, don’t you give up on him now.”

The Autobot merely nodded as his optics followed the two as they walked towards the bridge. Soundwave stood at the entrance, his frame straight and tall, “Soundwave available. For Orion. For Lord Megatron. Will overcome.”

Megatron felt his spark ease at his friend’s renewed bravery, “Orion will need our help my friend. There is much to do…. And it may only be us there to do it.” The former warlord glared at the bots behind him.

“We must protect him Soundwave… even from himself.” Megatron said quietly, his optics dim.

“Understood, and eagerly accepted.” Soundwave nodded his masked helm as they entered the bridge.

 ** _Orion may be lost, even as he tries to be found for every mech…. We are here, dear one. We shall help ease the darkness that haunts your days. Lead you with the light you used to lead us with…_** Soundwave rubbed his servo against his love's helm lightly as they made their way to their berthroom.

**_We shall be better my love… we shall be better this time…For you..._**


	26. Loose ends...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I loved writing this chapter. I hope you enjoy as well... You guys are awesome! Oh, btw... some things get dark here... old war horrors, that include sparklings....

Megatron made his way through the Nemesis silently. It had been two solar-cycles since the tests, and Orion had yet to come out of recharge. Soundwave was with his love now, he and Megatron each taking turns watching over the Prime.

Ratchet or Knockout would check in every breem or so, but the former warlord did not trust them to watch over his mate. He wasn’t sure how Orion would be once he awoke, and didn’t think any other mechs would be able to handle his love if he were to wake in a rage. If he were completely honest with himself, he wasn’t even sure if he or Soundwave could either.

Megatron growled as he shook his helm, **_I can’t start thinking like that. Orion needs me to believe in him! To believe in his light. I will not be like every other mech and cower from his changes! NEVER!_**

The silver mech made his way to Shockwave’s lab. He had hoped that perhaps his scientist had had a chance to go through the readings finally, and might have some answers as to what was happening with his mate.

As he walked through the halls of the ship he heard some grunting and heavy venting coming from the training room. He peered into the open door to find Solus there. She was training with one of the spare swords on the Nemesis.

He watched as her lithe frame spun and danced across the floor. Her sword flew around her at chaotic speeds as she hacked and slashed at the dummies around her. She roared as she cut deeply into one of the dummies, tearing it down to the support pole. Unfortunately, her attack was so fierce that as the blade connected with the metal inside, the blade shattered.

“ARRRRRGH! Useless cheap fragging piece OF SLAG!”  The Prime screamed as she spun and violently chucked what was left of the blade at the back wall. The broken weapon sailed through the air until it finally embedded itself into the metal wall.

Megatron groaned inwardly as he continued his march to the lab. He didn’t want to deal with the moody Prime at the moment, or at all truly. She had always been a miserable wretch, but after Orion had destroyed her precious forge, her ire seemed to know no bounds.

**_Just what we need, a temperamental Prime wreaking havoc throughout the ship. I wonder how many more holes she will add to the walls today?_ **

The silver mech vented deeply as he turned down another hall, his servo rubbing at his chest plates. His spark ached within him, it had since the tests. In some ways it worried him, yet when he brought it up to Ratchet, the medic merely shrugged. He said it probably had to do with what was happening to Orion, and when the medic tried to open his mate’s chest plates to check on his spark, they wouldn’t budge! They even used some less invasive tools, yet still the chamber remained shut tight.

**_One more thing to worry about…_ **

“Lord Megatron.”

Predaking’s voice pulled him from his dark musings and he looked up at the huge predacon. The mech was standing before the lab’s door, and he bowed deeply as Megatron approached.

“Shockwave is expecting you my Lord.” Predaking said as he straightened.

“Thank you Predaking.” Megatron said quietly as he turned to enter the lab.

“My Lord, how does Orion fare? If you do not mind my inquiry into his current status?” Predaking bowed once more as he asked.

Megatron stopped, his helm turning towards the larger mech. Predaking had constantly asked after Orion’s well being since they returned. At first it had irritated the silver mech, his jealously perhaps getting the best of him.  Yet, as the breems and solar-cycles passed and Orion was still not waking, he found himself just tired. Tired and somewhat grateful for the predacon’s concern, especially with so many mechs being scared of his mate now.

“Nothing has changed, Predaking. Not yet, at least.” Megatron vented out wearily.

The predacon’s shoulders seemed to slump only for a moment before he stood tall once more, “I am sorry to hear that my Lord, yet have faith. Our Prime is mighty, and he shall pull through this my Lord. I have no doubts.”

The silver mech nodded, a grim smile gracing his faceplates, “I concur Predaking. I believe in his strengths as well.” He opened the door to the Lab as the predacon began to make his way down the hall. “Predaking, I shall be sure to inform you as soon as there is a change.” Megatron called out to the mech before he entered.

Predaking turned, his optics wide in surprise, “Thank you my Lord! I would greatly appreciate that.” He bowed once more, his dermas pulled into a large fanged smile before he moved on.

Megatron rolled his optics as he watched the hulking mech leave, **_Argh, Orion… how do you have such a talent into turning me into a foolish soft-spark?_**

Shockwave looked up from his console as his leader walked in, “Lord Megatron.”

“Shockwave, have you had enough time to go through the data you collected on Orion?”  The silver mech made his way down the lab’s ramp moving alongside his scientist.

“Affirmative, Lord Megatron. The results all substantiate Orion is undeniably infected with the dark energy of Unicron.” Shockwave stepped aside so his Lord could look at his readings.

Megatron felt his spark burn in his chassis as he read through the data. “Is there any way to cleanse his system of it?”

“A remedy is indeterminate. The Prime’s contamination was contracted almost certainly through his awakening as Solus Prime theorized. The tainted energy of the Matrix, and the Fallen has integrated itself acutely within the Prime’s frame, and perhaps spark. To cleanse infection would require, and I am theorizing, an equally powerful introduction of pure energy.” Shockwave looked to his leader, noting as the larger mech continued to rub at his chest plates.

“He is supposed to be a part of Primus. Why is this over taking that influence, _that_ power? How much purer can any energy be?” The silver mech groaned miserably. “So if we cannot find a more powerful source of energy that is _pure_ … he will be overtaken by Unicron or his _taint,_ at least?”

“It appears the current course, Lord Megatron.”

Megatron vented, his spark aching all the more as he lamented, “Do you think there could be a way to bring Primus’s energy to the forefront? To make it stronger? So that, perhaps, it could contend with Unicron’s taint?”

The purple mech tilted his helm, his optic flickering as he calculated the possibilities. “His temperaments do modify the progression of the infection, it appears. As the Prime has been under perpetual duress recently, it is logical that being surrounded by the opposite could help in ensuring the increase of Primus’s energy, and influence.”

Megatron nodded, his processor reeling as he thought of way to lessen the chaos they had consistently found themselves in recently. He growled as he saw no way to avoid the stress of the times, not any time soon anyways… “This would be far easier if the end of the universe wasn’t looming over us.” Megatron said bitterly.

“Lord Megatron could share memories with Orion. Pleasant memories. Even if the subje… Prime does not recollect personally, perhaps hearing the tales recited by you could ease his spark?” Shockwave suggested.

The silver mech nodded, hope filtering through his processor, “Perhaps that _could_ work. Well done, Shockwave. Well done. Very well, I have things to attend to. Shockwave, have you had a chance to go through the Iacon database recently? I know you have been busy with Orion.”

“Predaking has proven a vastly capable researcher, Lord Megatron. He has been attempting to decrypt the files. Negative on success as of yet.”

Megatron lifted his optical ridge in surprise, “You have a predacon working on highly encrypted files?”

“Indeed. As I said, he is an exceptionally intelligent being. He has the aptitude to rival even Orion Pax.” Shockwave assured him.

Megatron snorted, “Who knew? Very well, I trust your judgment Shockwave. Let me know the instant he finds anything. I need to make it to the surface today, I am accompanying the Autobots to their base. It seems their human master Fowler, has become more than insistent on contacting them. I am going with them to represent proof of our treaty.” He rubbed his helm blearily, “There are not enough breems sometimes.”

Shockwave nodded as he moved back to his console. “Will Soundwave remain with the Prime?”

“Yes. I will be taking Lugnut with me to the Autobot base. You are busy enough, so I am leaving Strika in charge.”

“Understood, Lord Megatron.” Shockwave bowed slightly as he returned to his work.

Megatron nodded as he left, and made his way back to the command deck.  He wanted to go check on Orion, but knew there was little time to do so. Soundwave knew enough to contact him the moment Orion’s status changed anyways.

The large mech vented deeply, **_Not enough time in the day…_**

**_……………………….._ **

Ratchet found himself smiling as he entered their base after being away from it for so long. The damaged cause by Megatron being thrown through the med bay doors, and Arcee’s dent were still there, as there had been no time to repair any of it, but Ratchet was still happy to be _home._

The rest of the Autobots seemed relieved to be off of the Nemesis as well.

Bumblebee immediately ran off, chirping something about checking on his pet rocks. Raphael had got into the strange habit… hobby? It started with the two of them collect varying stones and giving them designations. If that wasn’t strange enough, Bumblebee took it one step forward and began to paint Earth and Cybertronian wildlife on each stone and would take them on walks through the base every once in a while. Ratchet swore he even heard the scout telling the stones a story one night.

Bulkhead went off to gather some supplies to bring back to the ship, and visit his own berthroom for a klik. He constantly grumbled about how hard the Decepticon berths were, and was determined to bring his mountain of human blankets back with him.

Ratchet smiled at the normalcy he suddenly felt, that was, until he looked over at Optimus’s old berthroom’s door.

Coming back to the base was nice, yet it could never ease the grief in his spark over Orion, he was terrified for his kid. Seeing Orion display that power, and not only throw Solus without touching her, but destroying her forge was horrifying. The worst part though, was he could do nothing, _nothing_ to help his Prime…

He vented irritably, forcing his fears aside as Agent Fowler stomped out of his office. “WEEKS! Not one word in WEEKS! What makes you bots think that is even slightly ALRIGHT!?” The agent yelled, his face twisted in rage. His hateful expression disappeared instantly as Megatron strode forwards.

“We have been rather occupied fleshling. I thought Ratchet had conveyed the severity of what has been happening?” The huge mech bent down slightly, his massive faceplates brought close to the gaping human, “We would appreciate a little patience on your part.”

Ratchet groaned, “Megatron, please stop looming over Agent Fowler.”

The silver mech smiled broadly, his sharp denta flashing, as he stood. “I wasn’t looming medic, merely addressing the human at his own _low_ level. I thought it would be less intimidating.”

Fowler scowled at the warlord, “Yeah, right. Listen here Megatron, just because you have cozied up to the Autobots doesn’t mean the American government hasn’t forgotten just how much of a monster you are!”

The huge mech smiled wider, “Good. I would be insulted if you had.”

Arcee pushed past Megatron, “Alright enough! Fowler, you know we have a treaty with them, and Megatron can you not act like an aft for five kliks?”

Fowler growled, “A treaty between you bots, NOT my planet! One wrong move Megatron, and I will have every available solider here in an instant!”

Megatron rolled his optics, “That is wretchedly terrifying, human. Please, no…”

“He is unarmed right!?” Fowler asked the Autobots angrily.

“Yes human. Because it would be impossible for me to defend myself without it…” Megatron laughed heartily, Lugnut joining him.

 Ratchet groaned once more, “Alright, can we please get to the reason why we are here? Agent Fowler, have your scientists discovered any anomalies recently. Any disasters that may have occurred when Unicron awoke last time?”

Fowler glared at Megatron for a moment more before looking to Ratchet. “Nothing really out of the ordinary, but we are keeping a keen eye on things. Why do you think it seems to be taking so long?”

Ratchet gripped his chin plates as he thought, “Well, we don’t truly have an actual understanding of just how long it took him to awaken last time. It wasn’t until things were  truly going to slag that we caught on. So how long it will take in total is indeterminable.”

“Well, we hope to be more prepared this time. We have rescue services on high alert, and systems in place to help in evacuation routines. Do you think he will appear in Jasper first? Like he did last time?” Fowler asked.

“Well, Orin is here, so I would assume so.” Ratchet said quietly.

Fowler’s eyes grew soft, “Strange to hear him called that. How is he doing?”

The Autobots collectively seemed to sag at the question, and Megatron growled. “He continues to fight bravely for the universe and himself, human. He will be fine.”

Fowler glowered at the Decepticon before turning back to Ratchet, “You said he was tainted by that Fallen guy right? How’s that going? Is he going to become… is he going to become a threat Ratchet?”

“YOU INSOLENT LITTLE PEST!” Megatron roared as he advanced on the filthy human, but Ratchet suddenly jumped into his path.

“Easy Megatron! He has a right to ask! This is his planet after all, and they are gonna be dealing with plenty of slag because of US! In fact they already have! He has every right to be worried, we all do.”

Megatron snarled at the medic, his spark hammering painfully in his chassis, “I would expect this from many Ratchet but you!? Have you given up on him so easily?”

Ratchet growled in turn, “FRAG OFF Megatron! I am just being sensible! You think I do not want to believe Orion can get through all of this!? Of COURSE I DO! I just know this is something NONE of us has EVER encountered! Orion may be the best of us Megatron, but he is not infallible! Nor is he impervious to everything in this FRAGGIN universe! That kid’s processor is one glitch away from PERMANENT MISFIRE!” Ratchet’s optics widened as he realized what he just said.

Every bot in the base was silent for a klik, their optics wide as they stared at the medic.

Agent Fowler eyed the Cybertronians in front of him, “Permanent misfire? What does that mean?” His voice was low, and suspicious.

Ratchet vented brokenly, rubbing his helm. He was furious with himself for saying what he said, especially in front of his team, and worse… Megatron.

“It is nothing that concerns you, human.” Megatron snarled out darkly, his blazing red optics burned down at the medic.

Fowler gritted his teeth, “It looks like something that definitely concerns me Decepticon. If Optim..Orion is going off the deep end I need to know! Listen, Ratchet,” he turned to look at the miserable medic, “I like Prime, a lot, Ratchet, and when he is in his right mind, he is one of the most honorable _people,_ I have ever met. I cannot though, have a crazed mech running around freely Ratchet! That puts way too many people in harm’s way, and I can’t allow it.”

“And what do you propose to do about it human, if he was insane, which he is NOT! Lock him up? Place him into stasis? Kill HIM!?” Megatron asked roughly.

Fowler ignored the warlord’s furious optics, “No, but the Autobots would no longer be welcomed here on Earth and would immediately become an enemy of the American government. You would either have to leave Earth, or be… taken care of.” To his credit Megatron thought the human sounded at least a little saddened by his words.

Ratchet looked up to Agent Fowler, “He is not insane Fowler, just worn. Orion has gone through… much recently, and it has taken a toll. I assure you, if I thought he was a threat to humanity, I would be the first to get him off planet.” Ratchet’s helm fell as he spoke, his optics dim, “It would kill him to ever be a threat to all of you. He would want to be pulled off planet as well.”

Fowler nodded grimly, “Alright Ratchet. I trust you to do the right thing, but _don’t_ make me regret that.”

Ratchet sighed, “I will do everything in my power to keep that trust Agent Fowler.”

Fowler nodded, “Ahhh, there is one more thing bots. The kids, they have been driving me crazy looking for you! Raphael hacked into my own computer at work. He is lucky I caught him before anyone else did! They hacked my email too, and I have received at least a hundred messages from them! You gotta address this before I lose my mind! I am pretty sure they are trying to get my phone number…”

Ratchet laughed lightly, “I will take care of it Agent Fowler.”

The man nodded gratefully. “Alright, I gotta report in. No more radio silence though, alright? I got too many eyes on this as it is, and YOU,” The agent glared at Megatron, “BEHAVE!”

Megatron smiled wickedly at the man, “Always human, always.”

“Uh huh…” Fowler gave the mech another scornful look before exiting.

Ratchet vented out hard as Fowler left. **_Well, no one died, I suppose it wasn’t a complete failure._** He steeled himself as he turned towards Megatron, and was not surprised to find the huge mech staring down at him darkly.

“I messed up. I know Megatron.” Ratchet said wearily.

“Messed up, medic? No, you did not _mess up_. You almost added the humans to the ever growing list of things that want to kill Orion!” Megatron snarled out.

Ratchet glared at him sharply, “Oh, so because you are _currently_ off that list, you are afraid for its numbers Megatron? You used to just worry that you got his helm first! HALF the damage to his processor was probably MADE by YOU ANYWAYS!”

Lugnut growled, “Watch what you say to Lord Megatron, Autobot!”

Arcee strode forward, “Know your PLACE, DECEPTICON!”

“ENOUGH!” All of the bots looked up to Megatron as he bellowed, their optics wide. “I know what I have done to him medic. I KNOW! Yet, I have been trying with all my spark to make it up to him! I have been trying to change! More so than ANY OF YOU!”

Ratchet felt his shoulders slump once again, “I know Megatron… and I am sorry. I reacted poorly because I was angry at myself.”

Megatron blinked at the medic for a moment, he was amazed to hear the smaller mech apologize… to him.

“Ratchet, is Opti.. Orion that bad off?” Arcee asked quietly.

The medic sighed, “I shouldn’t have said anything, as it is personal to Orion. Rest assured, Orion is well enough Arcee. I just worry what all of this is going to do to him, or leave him with in the end.”

Megatron glared at the medic. He may have not been so good at reading Ratchet as he was his mate, but he was fairly certain the medic wasn’t telling the whole truth.

Arcee nodded hesitantly, “What about the kids?” There was a hint of longing in her voice, and even Ratchet had to admit he missed the little humans.

“Well, we don’t have a lot of time these days. Though, I would like to see them. I bet they would love to see Optimus as well.” Ratchet said quietly.

Arcee seemed to deflate yet forced herself to nod.

“Bring them on the Nemesis.” Megatron suggested suddenly.

“WHAT!?” Both Arcee and Ratchet exclaimed at the same time.

Megatron rolled his optics, “We are at peace Autobots. The little flesh… humans, will not be harmed. I think you are correct about Orion, Ratchet. He could use the distraction, some joy.”

Ratchet bit his lower derma considering, “Yes… perhaps… yet what if he…”

“FRAG IT, RATCHET! Will you stop looking at Orion as JUST BROKEN!? He has been through enough! To have his own SIRE give up on him so EASILY...” Megatron yelled out, his fists curling at his sides.

Ratchet flinched at the truth in the former warlord’s words, “Alright, alright. I… I didn’t… I am not giving up on him Megatron. I just, it would kill him if he changed in front of them.”

“He won’t.” Megatron said simply, conviction in his optics.

The two Autobots looked at one another for a moment. Arcee smiled slightly, “I hate to say it, but I agree with Megatron. I don’t think Orion would have any trouble in front of the kids, Ratchet. I also think it may help him, immensely. It may just help us all.”

Ratchet nodded, “Yeah, ok. Fine. Yet, we should first…”

“ME AND BEE CAN GRAB UM NOW!” Bulkhead’s voice cried from across the base excitedly.

Ratchet groaned, “Orion isn’t even conscious right now Bulk…”

“Then they may spend that time with all of you. Give them a tour of the ship until he awakes?” Megatron suggested.

Bumblebee chirped happily.

Ratchet rolled his optics, “I doubt their parents would be very keen on having their children having a sleepover on a Decepticon battleship Bumblebee, or Megatron for that matter.”

“I do not mind.” Megatron said smirking at the medic.

The three younger Autobots looked positively thrilled with the prospect; even Arcee’s optics sparkled happily.

“Ugh, fine. Go and get your wards. Comm me when you find out about the… pajama party.” Ratchet said sarcastically, his dermas rising into a smile.

The three Autobots quickly transformed, Bulkhead throwing his blankets haphazardly on the floor as he changed and raced out of the base.

“A bunch of sparklings I swear. Alright Megatron, let me grab a few things and then we can make our way back to the Nemesis.”

“Ratchet, would you mind if I looked through Orion’s old berthroom?” Megatron asked gently.

The medic turned on the larger mech, his faceplates confused, “Why?”

“I would like to find somethings that could help inspire good memories for Orion.” Megatron said shrugging.

“Ahhh, allllright. I suppose that makes sense. Although, I don’t know what you will find. Optimus was a minimalist. He never really got too emotionally attached to things or pictures…  anything really.” Ratchet said as he frowned. Though Optimus obviously cared deeply for his team, he never really showed much in the way of emotions, not like young Orion had. Ratchet had always regretted that loss deepest of all when Orion changed. Sure Optimus would laugh now and then, or smile, or comfort his team… as best as he could, it was always aloof, and distant, controlled.

Megatron nodded, “I would like to see just in case.”

“Well, it is that door there. Ahh, good luck.” Ratchet said as he made his way to the med bay.

“Lugnut, you may return to the Nemesis. I am certain Strika is missing you.” Megatron smiled at the smaller mech.

Lugnut blushed slightly, “Lugnut can stay Lord Megatron. Strike understands.”

“I can handle it if the medic gets unruly Lugnut, I am not that weak.” The silver mech said smirking at the suddenly mortified mech.

“Lugnut know that Lord Megatron! Of course! Ok, Lugnut will go.” He smiled before transforming and leaving the base.

Megatron smiled after his most loyal follower, well, besides Soundwave. He turned and made his way to Optimus Prime’s berthroom, trepidation in his spark. How many times had he wanted to see the inner workings of Optimus? Find his weaknesses, and exploit them? Now, he needed some of those secrets to help save the Prime.

He opened the door to a very plain looking, small berthroom. There was a simple berth neatly made, as a solider would, and a single chair and small desk. The desk held a single datapad on it, neatly placed to the side of its surface, and there were a few shelves along the walls, all properly organized with datapads. Simple, basic, dull.

Megatron almost despaired as he entered, perhaps Ratchet was correct and he would find nothing here? He made his way over to the shelves, pulling some of the datapads down flicking them on and going quickly scanning through the information there. It was tactical information he would have reveled in before yet did nothing for him now. He picked up another and found similar information.

Groaning, and getting bored, Megatron decided to really search for a hint of something. He looked above the shelves, under the drawers. He pulled the light thermo blankets off the berth shaking them out. He nearly tore the room apart, and found nothing that wasn’t tactical, organized, fragging useless information!

He vented loudly as he fell back on the berth. **_Fraggin Prime was just as boring as he appeared! Did he have no feelings back then!?_**

Megatron closed his optics, his fist banging against the wall in frustration when he suddenly heard the light plunk of something falling onto the berth next to him. He turned his helm to find a strange square opening had cracked open after his fist had shaken the wall. He looked next to him to find a small data stick lying next to him.

Megatron’s spark jumped at the sight! **_YES! Maybe the Prime wasn’t as perfectly, perfect as he appeared._**

Megatron immediately lifted himself off the berth and grabbed one of the closest datapads, and clicked the data stick into it.

He flicked the pad on and was amazed at the numerous files the data stick held. ** _There must be thousands of entries on this one stick! What would be so important that the Prime would hide it in a secret compartment._**

He looked over the files, none were labeled, or had dates so he picked one in the center, and sat down on the berth to begin reading.

…………..

_Today eighty five Autobots fell as a transport shuttle was attacked on its way to the Praxian front._

_Ironhide said the poor soldiers were on their way to battle anyways, and in a way this was a less torturous death for them all, but I disagree._

_If they had made it to the field, there was a chance that some of them may have made it out alive._

_There will be no speeches for them, no memorials, they are just gone now… as if they never existed._

_We no longer collect the frames either. There are too many Ultra Magnus says._

_That haunts me as I watch my soldiers fall, I know that is where they will rot forever now._

_They fight for a cause that is so much bigger them, sacrifice everything, and get left in the sands for all of their loyalty._

_I hate this._

_I hate, all of this._

_Primus, where are you?_

_………………………………………._ Megatron opened another file.

_I walked through the once glittering city of Vos today. We finally overtook the Decepticon battlement here._

_It is not that there is much to be joyful over anyways. The city is in such ruin it provides no advantage to us, but more ground._

_Megatron had abandoned it long ago, and now I know why. He is a brilliant strategist and never wastes his resources on anything he considers useless. That is probably why there was such a small battalion of Decepticons left to defend it._

_We did find something horrifying while going through the ruins of the castle. Apparently some citizens had thought to hole themselves up within the dungeons beneath the castle._

_Had the war not gone on so long their plan would have been rather ingenious, as it is though…_

_We found them, mechs, femmes, and sparklings alike all starved, all grey…_

_It was… horrific._

_It appeared that they had fallen to cannibalism at some point as well. Luckily only on the elder bots… but it was just… so, so awful to see. One little sparkling had his intake against one of the larger mech’s slit wrists… He had died last it seemed… desperately trying to get the life giving fluid from the dead mech._

_He had died alone, suckling off of a dead frame…_

_Luckily Jazz was the only mech with me when we found them._

_I broke._

_I broke, wretchedly._

_I haven’t sobbed like that in a very long time… if ever._

_Even as I write, I can feel my spark burn terribly… I … I hate this… so much. When will it end? How many more need to die? How many more sparklings?_

_How Many more SPARKLINGS MUST DIE, starving and ALONE, in a DUNGEON!?_

_I HATE THIS!_

_Help me Primus… help us…_

_…………………_ Megatron vented brokenly. Very aware as a drip of coolant fell from his optic. **_I… I never wanted that. I never wanted sparklings to suffer… gods…_** His servos shook as he opened another file higher on the list…

_I am constantly amazed with the beauty of Earth! There are so many interesting creatures, textures, sights, scents, everything!_

_If only I could enjoy it without war…_

_Today was a harder day, and I went to my cove afterwards. The sunset was magnificent, so many brilliant colors!_

_I watched them all blend slowly into darkness, until only the stars sang above me._

_I was just about to go back to base when a small fox escaped from the underbrush, right next to my pede! I hardly vented for fear of scaring it away._

_He sniffed around me for a while until it began to climb up my leg!_

_I must admit, I have not been that excited in a very long time!_

_When it reached my knee, that was drawn to my helm, it licked my faceplates! It took everything I had not to laugh._

_Finally it curled up between my leg armor, and knee and fell asleep!_

_I didn’t know what to DO!_

_So I let it stay there._

_Ratchet commed me a few times, yet I dared not answer. Instead I reveled in the moment._

_I am uncertain how long I stayed there watching the wonder of life within the small creature, when finally my lack of contact caused Ratchet to ground bridge right next to me!_

_The poor creature was terrified, as was I._

_I sadly watched it run off to the woods once more as Ratchet yelled at me._

_I do feel bad for worrying him, yet I will miss my little friend. I wonder if I will find him again? That would be nice, and there are so few nice things sometimes._

_Be safe little fox, and thank you._

_……………………………………._ Megatron smiled, amazed at the hidden wonder within the Prime. It reminded him so much of Orion. He laughed gently as he clicked on another file….

_I dreamt of them again._

_In so many ways I hate when I have this dream, and yet while within it, I feel like… home._

_This time we were sitting around an oil fire in a small cottage like building. I was reading a story as they sat before me._

_As always, their faces were blurred, shadows really, but I could feel their happiness._

_The little one giggled as I pretended to be a monster from the story. I wish I remembered what tale it was that I was telling. I wonder it was Cybertronian or from Earth._

_Once the story was finished, the little one curled into the largest shadow’s lap, and I crawled into the other shadow’s lap. Its warmth always feels so familiar, and safe._

_We all sat upon the floor of the cottage as the largest shadow began to sing. I never remember the words, but the voice is deep, and soft._

_I love when I get to hear him sing. I could listen to it forever._

_I love it there. Home. Safe, wonderful, warm, melodic home._

_Unfortunately, it must always come to an end._

_I always awake, cold and alone. Always alone… at least in spark. I love my team, in whatever capacity I can, but that love never feels like home to me. Not like the dream._

_I wept this time, I thought I had been getting better._

_I think… that it has something to do what happened the other night. After Megatron had held my helm during my attack._

_I haven’t been able to think straight since then. Why do I feel this way about him? WHY!?_

_It is traitorous and WRONG!_

_Why does he feel like my dreams?_

_WHY, WHY DOES HE FEEL LIKE HOME!?_

_What kind a traitor am I!? What kind of a PRIME!?_

_No one can ever know…_

_No one…_

_Primus help me… I am in love with a monster… Forgive me…_

_……………………………_

Megatron blinked at the most recent file, his processor reeling with so many revelations.

Not only did Optimus seem to dream about their family… or what was to be their family, but he had recognized that Megatron felt like… home. 

He lowered the datapad, his optics shuttering as he processed that. **_How long did he continue to fight me as he felt that? How many more times did I hit him, stab him, hurt him… just for him to come back to his berth alone, and fall apart? Never understanding why he felt the way he did, and hating himself for it… Oh Orion… I am so sorry…_**

“Megatron?”

The silver mech jumped off the berth suddenly, his battle protocols blazing online.

“IT’S JUST ME!” Ratchet yelled out, his servos high.

“Oh…” Megatron vented as he sheepishly collected  himself. “I apologize Ratchet. I am unused to being taken unawares.”

“Uh huh… Well, they have the kids, and everyone is ready to get back to the Nemesis. You find anything worthwhile?” Ratchet peered curiously at the datapad Megatron held.

Megatron nodded, his processor still going over just the few entries he had read. “Yes, yes I think I did.”

Ratchet raised his optical ridge, “Oh, good. Some reading material?”

The silver mech hummed as he turned off the pad, “So much more than I thought I would find Ratchet. Once I am done with it, and if it is then alright with Orion… I think you should take a look.”

Ratchet tilted his helm curiously. “I will.”

The two bots made their way out of the Autobot base then, and called for a ground bridge.

As they waited for the bridge to open, Megatron looked over to the medic, sub-spacing the precious datapad and stick. “Ummm, Ratchet. Do you know of a place where foxes frequent around here?”

The medic looked at him incredulously, “A what? For what?”

Megatron fought rolling his optics, “A plaaaace, where foooxes, frequent.” He said slowly.

Ratchet looked flatly at him before he began to think… “Umm, yes. I think I do. It was a place Orio... or Optimus, then, used to go. Apparently there were foxes there. I remember because he actually asked Fowler for some fox bait, or food once. I remember thinking that was odd. Why do you ask?”

Megatron smiled as the bridge burst to life before them, “Optimus lost a little friend, and I would like to help Orion find it.” He kept smiling as he started towards the ground bridge opening, his processor whirling with possibilities. **_I will bring you back my love. You are too wonderful, too innocent to be taken down this way. I shall help you find the wonder of you once more._**

Ratchet stared at the larger mech confused before he merely smiled, and followed after the grinning mech. He knew Orion was in good servos with Megatron. The former warlord was indeed trying, and after so many years of Ratchet struggling to fill the hole left by the loss of Orion’s haven, his home, he finally got to sit back a bit and let the rest of Orion’s family take the helm.

**_Besides, I have some mech waiting for me as well. My own haven, my own home…_ **

As Ratchet exited the ground bridge his smile broadened as he found Knockout standing there waiting, a relieved smile on his own faceplates.

“You know how to keep a mech waiting.” Knockout said as he moved past Megatron. The silver mech looked behind him at the two medics, his optical ridge lifting in surprise even as he smiled warmly.

Ratchet couldn’t help but laugh as he opened his arms, and Knockout immediately curled into them.

“I missed you,” the red mech whispered against his chassis, his own arms holding tightly to the taller mech.

“And I missed you too, ya big sentimental sparkling.” Ratchet smiled as he held the smaller mech. “Ahh, this feels so nice Knockout. I am so happy with you.”

The red mech lifted his helm, his optics bright, “Come on handsome. I have a surprise for ya in the med bay.”

Ratchet looked curiously at the other medic, “Oh yeah?”

Knockout smiled brightly, “I am not ruining this, sweet spark. You need to see with your own optics.”

The older medic laughed as he followed Knockout to the med bay.

Knockout smirked at him before they entered the room. “Shutter you optics handsome.”

Ratchet rolled his optics before shuttering them.

Knockout grabbed his servo gently as he led the older mech through the doorway. “Ok, open them!”

Ratchet un-shuttered his optics, adjusting to the bright light as he searched through the med bay. It definitely looked cleaner, but beyond that…

“You cleaned the med bay.” Ratchet smiled down at the smaller mech.

“Tut, tut, handsome… not _only_ did I clean but…” Knockout smiled as he began to open the multiple cabinets, and drawers.

Ratchet gasped, “Oh, be still my spark! YOU ORGANIZED IT ALL!?”

Knockout laughed as he ran towards the older mech. Ratchet caught him and spun the smaller mech happily. “Oh Knockout, you know exactly what I need! Hahaha, I love you!”

Ratchet suddenly realized what he said, and he felt _awful_! “I mean, I … frag it! I…”

Knockout quieted the larger mech as his digit covered the stumbling mech’s dermas. “I… I think I may grow to love you too, Ratchet. So… don’t stop. Don’t stop being you? Don’t stop loving me? Just… be patient, and don’t give up on us? Please?”

Ratchet smiled, his optics glowing with conviction, “You mean too much to me to give up on you, Knockout.”

The red mech vented out as he smiled, “Thank you… thank you.” He raised his helm and pressed his dermas to the older mechs dermas. “I missed you so much today, handsome. So much it hurt.”

Ratchet felt his engine roar within him, “Maybe I can take some of that pain away?”

Knockout moaned against him, “Please?”

………………………

So it was… the night that found children running through the halls of the Nemesis, playing with Autobots and vehicons alike.

Two lost medics found solace within each other after being so terribly alone.

And there stayed a trio, one sleeping still, as his loves kept watch, reading though the mysterious data stick, laughing and crying with their lover’s memories.

Megatron sighed after reading another file, his optics fleeting to his mate. **_What a magnificent light you hold Orion… now, then, and always… I shall bring you back to that light through this darkness, I vow._**


	27. Finding Hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhh, I hope this chapter is ok. I wrote it after a chaotic weekend of my own. Poor Orion, so much is upon him, and poor Megatron, and Soundwave as they try to be there through it all... all the while, being just as lost as he is... I feel for all of them... and yet, they work so beautifully together. All lost sparks within the chaos of life... I hope you enjoy. Sorry for errors, I shall attend to them asap!

Orion slowly came back from the peaceful oblivion of recharge. He groaned as he realized how much his frame ached around him. Yet it wasn’t just his frame, but his spark, it burned terribly.

He tried to fall back into recharge, trying to ignore the agony in his chassis when he remembered the tests… everything that had occurred from the chains, the rage, the voice, the _terrible memories_ , him flinging Solus, destroying the forge, and every one’s terrified faceplates as they looked at him.

**_They are scared of me… Solus, Ratchet, even Shockwave… they looked horrified! HORRIFIED! Ratchet… I am so sorry, but… but did he know everything that happened to me, to Megatron, before I became a Prime!? Did he know all OF IT!? Why, why didn’t he tell me!? What else will come back!? Why have I been hurt so badly by my own kind? Are we worth saving? Is it worth it to rebuild Cybertron, just to spread our evil further!? Maybe there is a reason we are a species almost at the edge of extinction!_ **

He moaned miserably, his anger filling him, and his processor ran wildly in his helm. His spark burned hotter within him. He was so confused, angry, lost, furious, _disgusted_ , and terribly disappointed… Before he felt he had been certain in what was right and what was wrong, and now… Now all he truly knew was how ugly this universe could BE! HOW WRETCHED!

He moaned brokenly as he fought with himself. Half of his spark telling him there was good in _everything_ … that perhaps creatures became lost, but they weren’t all inherently evil, and the other half... The other half _raged._ It called him _foolish_ for having those hopes, having those _dreams_ for these accursed creatures. That they could indeed be _good_ , but the majority chose _not_ to be. They chose the easy paths instead. Where they would happily step upon their own _brethren_ to get what they _wanted,_ and they did so under their own free will!? To rule them, to control their taint that, THAT is the only way things would change for the better! Only with HIS RULE!

**_NO! NO… they deserve to govern themselves! I cannot lose that hope! I can’t believe my sacrifice will be for NAUGHT! That Megatron’s wouldn’t… Megatron’s… Soundwave’s… his family… All gone in the end… and for what? FOR WHAT!?_ **

Orion sobbed, his frame curling as he warred with himself. He could hear something move within the space he found himself in, yet the chaos within him seemed too overpowering to be able to break free of his thoughts, his nightmares!

He felt his predacon programming pulling at the edges of his consciousness like a blinding light of ignorance, _simplicity,_ and grappled for it _wildly_! He could hide there! Hide there, and not become a monster, or a _tool!_ Not think about what was expected of him! How he had failed, and kept failing _over_ and _over_.

He purred as the program took over, and all of his chaotic thoughts fell aside, leaving just primal needs and feelings. It felt _glorious_ , glorious and simple.

It was then the beast realized one of his mates was lying in berth next to him. He inhaled deeply, rolling to his side as he curled his frame possessively around him.

“Orion?” A voice called to him from the end of the berth, and he raised his helm to find a dark mech standing there. “Megatron is rather exhausted, dear one. He has been without recharge recently. You should let him sleep.”

The beast tried to make sense of all of the words the smaller mech said as they filtered through his primordial haze. **_Tired mate… needs rest…_**

He pulled himself from the larger mech, and made his way across to the other. He sat on the edge of the berth as the lithe mech moved towards him.

“Orion? Are you alright?” Soundwave looked at his love carefully. Orion’s optics were bright, and completely filled with both purple and white light. He was obviously deep in his predacon programming.

Orion purred as Soundwave rubbed his helm sadly. The darker mech noticed how even though the purple lines had gone from Orion’s chassis, they remained on his faceplates. The jagged lines burned brightly in the dim light of the room, making Orion’s visage take on an almost demonic appearance.

In many ways Soundwave was grateful for Orion waking like this. Both he and Megatron weren’t certain how the Prime was  going to be once he awoke, and even if this was worrisome… it was to a far _lesser_ degree than what they had seen a couple of days ago.

“Are you hungry dear one? I have some energon for you.” Soundwave said quietly as he began to move away. Orion suddenly seemed to panic at his absence though, and he keened miserably rushing at the smaller mech. Unfortunately, he moved so quickly, and Soundwave was so unprepared that both of them immediately fell to the ground with a huge crash!

Megatron was up in a moment! His optics blearily tried to focus as he saw Orion lying atop Soundwave’s frame. His foggy processor saw the glowing lines on Orion’s faceplates, and his blazing optics as panic filtered through his frame! ** _Orion is attacking SOUNDWAVE!?_**

He roared as he ripped his frame across the berth, and grabbed Orion by his shoulders before throwing the stunned mech away from the pinned Soundwave!

“MEGATRON NO!” Soundwave cried as Orion’s frame sailed through the air before crashing hard into the side wall! His back plates slammed into the shelves there, crumbling the thin metal as everything that had been upon the shelves rained over his frame.

The silver mech vented wildly as he looked down at Soundwave. ”What!? What … are you alright Soundwave!? Did he hurt you!?”

“No Megatron! He, he just got up too fast, or panicked… He didn’t attack me!” Soundwave picked himself up as Megatron groaned in frustration at himself. He felt awful for automatically assuming the worst, but he had promised Orion to keep others safe from him…

Orion whimpered from under the pile of datapads and old weapons as he pushed himself to his servos and knees. Megatron moaned brokenly as he watched Soundwave move over to his mate slowly.

“Orion? Megatron didn’t mean to hurt you. He was just scared.” Soundwave said gently. The Prime moved back timidly, his helm hung low as he growled quietly, finally freeing himself from the pile.

“Dear one, please, it is alright.” Soundwave pleaded as he followed Orion’s retreating form.

Orion could finally go no further as his pedes hit the back wall and he knelt upon the ground despondently, his wings pulled tight to his sides, and his tail wrapped around his shivering frame.

Soundwave crouched in front of the larger mech, and hesitantly reached a servo out to the uneasy mech. Orion flinched as Soundwave’s servo touched his helm, but did not move away. He rubbed the larger mech gently. “It is alright Orion. You are safe.” Soundwave said softly and a terribly tattered keen sounded from the white mech’s vocalizer.

Megatron sat on the edge of the berth, his frame exhausted, and spark filled with guilt over how he had reacted. He looked over to the other two mechs, at Orion’s now bleeding right wing, and dented helm.

“I will go get a medic.” He said darkly as he forced himself to stand, and he made his way towards the berthroom door.

“Wait, Megatron!” Soundwave called out yet Megatron was already gone. The dark mech vented deeply as he turned back to Orion’s silent frame. The white mech stared at the ground, now that Megatron had left his frame sagged, the tension leaving him, and he just looked terribly sad.

“Oh, Orion. It is alright, he didn’t mean to hurt you, love.” He lifted his servo once more, gently rubbing the larger mech’s helm. At first Orion didn’t move, staring dejectedly at the floor, but as time began to pass the Prime leaned into the darker mech’s touch.

Soundwave smiled as he moved closer to his love and wrapped his arms around him tightly. “We will get through all of this love. I am certain.” Soundwave said gently.

Orion pressed his helm into the crook of Soundwave’s neck inhaling deeply before he licked at the delicate cabling there. The darker mech shivered slightly, “Orion dear one, we can’t…” Another longer lick, and a nip at his chin plates. “Arrrgh, Orion love, we need to get your wing looked at. Megatron is going to be back soon.”

The Prime growled slightly at the mention of Megatron, and pressed his helm deeper against the darker mech’s neck. “Orion, easy love. I uhhhhhh…” Soundwave shivered again, and he felt Orion’s servos begin to rub along his chassis lightly.

Finally Megatron returned with Knockout, and Soundwave was both disappointed and relieved. “Orion love, the medic is here.”

The white mech watched as a little medic came towards him slowly. He grumbled slightly at the approaching bot, but Soundwave rubbed his helm reassuringly.

Megatron stood by the door, his optics dim and arms crossed over his chassis as he observed the three mechs.

Knockout hesitated once he got to the Prime, hearing another low growl. “Ahhh, is he going to be alright with this, or should I be aware of the possibility of biting?” He asked nervously, his optics looking a little more than apprehensive.

Soundwave pulled Orion’s helm up, “Orion, Knockout is going to check your wing. You need to let him do that, he is a friend.”

The Prime grumbled quietly as he scanned over the medic briefly, yet seemed to see him has little more than an annoyance, and quickly turned his helm back into Soundwave’s neck.

The darker mech nodded to the medic, and watched as Knockout pulled out some of his medical supplies.

Knockout pulled out some cleaning oil, adding some to a mesh cloth before he began to dab it on the wing’s long gash. Orion whimpered slightly into Soundwave’s neck, but stayed still and _thankfully_ didn’t bite Knockout’s servo off!

The red mech heard Soundwave gasp, and he raised his optics from Orion’s wound to find the Prime licking at the spy bot’s throat. Knockout’s optics widened as he forced himself to focus on his work. In a way the medic was happy Orion was obviously too distracted to pay him much mind, and yet, it was slightly distracting to hear the wet laps, and deep purring coming from the white mech.

“Orion love, you need to stay still.” Soundwave said quietly, struggling to keep his voice still in front of Knockout.

Orion seemed to be ignoring everything but his growing need of the darker mech as he continued to lick and nip at him greedily.

 Soundwave tried to disregard all of the gentle sensations, his optics focused pointedly on the berth beside him. **_Orion, ahhh, please stop love. Not in front of Knockout. This is not the time for…_** Suddenly the Prime purred loudly as his servo slid down to Soundwave’s interface panels, and rubbed them roughly.

Soundwave’s optics bulged as he bit his glossa to keep from crying out. He painfully kept his optics focused on the berth, his spark constricted tightly in his frame as Orion continued to rub against him.

Knockout swallowed hard as he worked, not sure what else to do. No one had told him to leave, so he just tried to focus on his job, and not the beautifully lewd show going on before him. Seeing the ever in control Prime acting this way was messing with his processor in ways it absolutely shouldn’t!

He grabbed for his medical tape, he _had_ brought his welder with him as well, but given how his servos were shaking, he didn’t trust himself to not frag up terribly with the repairs. Pit, he wasn’t even sure if the Prime would let him finish the work before he jumped Soundwave!

The beast growled at the dark mech’s hesitancy. He could tell his mate was excited, he could smell his sweet scent of arousal all around him. Why wouldn’t he open!? Was it because of the other mech!?

Orion turned his helm suddenly, and snarled at the red mech darkly, freezing him where he stood.

“Orion, stop that.” Megatron’s deep voice rang through the room, and all over the mechs turned to the silver mech.

The Prime’s growl turned darker as the larger mech approached. Knockout’s optics widened, once more unsure of what he should do. So far this whole venture had been more than… strange, and he had no desire for it to get more so. **_And I thought Ratchet and I had slag to work out…_**

Megatron frowned at his mate. He didn’t necessarily blame Orion for his anger at him, but he wasn’t about to let Knockout become injured because of the beast within his mate. “Easy, Orion. Allow the medic to do his job, and _leave_ him _be._ ”

Orion’s growl deepened at Megatron’s words, his fanged denta showing as he suddenly lifted his frame off of the floor, startling a yelp from Knockout who fell back from the raging mech.

Megatron’s optics narrowed as he stopped his approach, “Knockout, perhaps you should finish lat…” Suddenly Orion lunged forwards, slamming into the silver mech ground hard.

Knockout and Soundwave stared as Orion threw his fist directly into Megatron’s helm, the silver mech groaning as his helm bounced off of the floor.

“ORION STOP!” Soundwave cried out desperately! The white mech turned his helm towards him, his blazing optics flickering in confusion when Megatron roared, and slammed his fist into Orion’s chassis.

The beast crumbled for a moment, the agony in his tanks overwhelming his processor, and he felt his frame being rolled off the silver mech.

“Very well BEAST! You want to do this the hard WAY!? FINE!” Megatron cried as he jumped onto Orion’s back, slipping his arm around Orion’s throat as he lifted his mate’s helm off of the floor roughly. “YIELD, CREATURE!”

Orion ROARED under him, the jagged purple lines blazing down along Orion’s shoulder and chest plates. He clawed at the ground as his fangs and claws lengthened with his fury! He tried to push himself up, push the other mech off, but his tanks were empty after two solar-cycles of no fuel, and he was losing a decent amount of energon from the reopened gash on his wing.

The increasing weakness made Orion struggle more desperately, his claws gouging into the floor with terrible screeches and sparks of metal on metal. He roared as he wrapped his tail around the larger mech’s throat, constriction the long limb tightly.

Megatron growled as he was pulled back a bit from Orion’s tail and he turned his frame thrusting his free servo back to roughly grab onto the base of his mate’s tail. He roared as he compressed his fist painfully around the sensitive limb.

Orion suddenly howled, his tail uncoiling from Megatron’s throat instantly as he began to whimper in pain. Megatron growled as he tightened his arm and servo, “YIELD!”

Orion whimpered again, his frame going limp as the agony of his mate’s servo around his tail ran through his frame like fire.

Megatron glared at the mech beneath him for a moment, before easing his arm from Orion’s throat. The white mech keened a bit, lowering his helm in defeat and exhaustion.

“Knockout,” Megatron said raggedly as he held Orion’s tail tightly still, “You may continue.”

Knockout stared at the two mechs for a moment, his optics wide, “Uhhh, uh huh…” He strangled out as he picked himself up. He grabbed his medical supplies as he made his way over to Orion’s pinned form.

The medic looked at his leader nervously, but Megatron just grunted at him, “He is fine now Knockout, he’s submitted. Orion, spread your wing out!” He applied more pressure on the tail watching as the white mech whined, jerking slightly before he complied with the request. “Sit near his helm Knockout, and finish your work.”

The medic sat next to the Prime’s helm warily, and began to clean up the fresh energon once more.

Orion laid his heated helm down upon the floor, his frame flinching every once in a while as the medic worked. He felt himself slowly coming back to himself even as he fought to stay in the haze of the beast. He was too tired, too worn, he had lost to Megatron, and the beast pulled back in defeat leaving Orion to all that had occurred and his despicable thoughts once more.

He realized he must have done something wretched because he felt Megatron pinning him to the floor. His mate was also painfully holding his tail as Knockout worked on a torn wing. His spark ached with the realization that he could hide _nowhere_ now, or hope to escape the darkness within him in… any way.

In _so many_ ways that hurt, yet he felt too drained to cry, so he merely lay there limply, his spark cold and hollow in his frame.

Knockout finally finished his weld and stood. “Ahh, should be all set now, Lord Megatron.”

“Thank you, Knockout. I apologize for bothering you so late.” Megatron said quietly.

The medic looked at his leader in surprise, a small smile gracing his faceplates as he shrugged, “I am a medic, it is what we are here for Lord Megatron.”

Megatron nodded solemnly, “Regardless, thank you.”

Knockout looked sadly at the larger mech before nodding, and leaving the trine to sort out their own.

The moment Knockout closed the door, Megatron let go of Orion’s tail and stood. He made his way to his berth silently, and sat down his servos holding his faceplates as he did so.

The trine was quiet then. Orion venting softly on the floor, Megatron holding himself on the berth, and Soundwave standing alone… staring sadly at the two broken lovers.

Soundwave made his way to Megatron, his optics dim, “Are you well, Megatron?”

The silver mech said nothing, but his frame began to hitch slightly. Soundwave frowned sadly as he threw his arms over his closest friend’s shoulders. “It will be alright.”

Megatron’s quiet sobs increased, his frame trembling awfully as he moaned.

The darker mech held his leader tightly as he watched Orion begin to pull himself up until he knelt on the floor. The white mech stared at the floor before him, his optics dim, almost vacant looking.

“Orion?” Soundwave called gently to his love.

The Prime lifted his helm blearily, his optics rising to Megatron’s shaking frame first, then to Soundwave’s concerned optics. He vented miserably before standing, “I… I can’t do this to you both anymore… I can’t…”

He turned and began to walk towards the door when Megatron stood quickly, “Where, where the _frag_ do you think you are GOING!?”

Orion turned, “I can’t put you through this Megatron. I am going to ask Solus to take me off planet until I learn to control this better. Perhaps go back to Cybertron, or… or somewhere, anywhere. I can’t keep hurting you.” The Prime’s empty faceplates suddenly filled with rage, and his servos fisted at his sides, “I CAN’T FRAGGIN DO THIS TO YOU!” He screamed violently.

Megatron growled, anger taking over the sorrow he had felt, “FRAG YOU ORION! I am not letting you leave!”

Orion growled back, “I can’t be here Megatron! I am A THREAT! A threat to YOU, TO SOUNDWAVE, TO THIS WHOLE FRAGGIN PLANET! I need to go. I can deal with the Fallen on Cybertron, and come back to face Unicron when he awakens.”

Megatron laughed bitterly, “It is just that easy then? You will go, and take care of the whole fragging UNIVERSE _ALONE_ , just to have your SPARK RIPPED from your chest in the end, so we can ALL BASK in the glory of PEACE you made for us!? STOP BEING SO FRAGGIN _ARROGANT_ ORION! You can’t do all of this Alone!”

“I CAN’T KEEP HURTING YOU! IT IS KILLING ME!” Orion sobbed then, his servos going to his chest plates as his spark roiled in agony. “It is killing _me_ Megatron. What if I awake one morning to, to find you and, and Soundwave DEAD BESIDE ME!? And… and… what if… if I… _Arrrrrgh_! What if I am to BLAME FOR IT!?”

The Prime wailed as his spark’s burn increased, he could feel the jagged lines burn across his frame, and he stumbled weakly before falling to his knees once more. “ARRRRGH! I CAN’T LET THAT HAAAAAPPEN! I…I can’t, I can’t… ohhhhh.”

In two great strides Megatron made it to his love, before he knelt and pressed his dermas tightly against his lover’s. Orion sobbed into the kiss, his servos trying to push the larger mech off of him, but Megatron merely gripped him tighter.

Orion growled, his sorrow turning to anger as Megatron held him fast, **_Why is he KISSING ME!? LET GO! I NEED TO LEAVE! DON’T YOU SEE!? I AM TAINTED, WRONG! GET AWAY!_**

The Prime’s growling increased as he suddenly bit his love’s lower derma. The bite was hard enough to draw energon, and make Megatron snarl as he pulled back.

Orion stared at the larger mech darkly, “I wouldn’t have done that if…” Suddenly Megatron’s fist flew up at him unexpectedly and _slammed_ into the left side of his helm.

His optics filled with static as he fell sideways, his frame crashing to the floor as Megatron crawled atop his frame. “I will not let you leave Prime. We _will_ find a way to get through all of this! If you would just have a little faith in…”

Orion roared as he pushed at the larger mech. “Get OFF OF ME MEGATRON! I NEED TO DO THIS!”

The silver mech pinned Orion’s wrists to the floor above his helm, “STOP THIS! I am SORRY I was WEAK for a _moment_ , but that does _NOT_ mean I am not going to be RIGHT THERE with YOU THROUGH ALL of this! I foolishly thought I lost you for EONS, Orion. I gave UP, and I REGRET that every single DAY! I WILL NOT GIVE UP ON YOU, ON US AGAIN! SO… so don’t you DARE DO THE SAME!”

Orion stilled at that, his spark in chaos as he stared at the mech above him. Megatron’s faceplates still held the wet trails of his earlier tears, yet his optics blazed with conviction. “Megatron…” Orion bemoaned sullenly, “Please, I don’t want to hurt anyone…”

Megatron brought his faceplates closer to his mate, his vents ragged, “ I will do everything in my power to stop that from happening Orion, but we are not perfect creatures, love. We can fail at times… I know more than most, but that does NOT mean we just give up. Please, please don’t give up on me… and don’t give up on you. I know I won’t, never again love, never, ever again.”

Orion vented brokenly as Megatron’s helm fell to his, his bleeding dermas brushing against his own. The Prime whimpered sadly as they kissed, his spark’s fire easing as he felt Megatron’s field envelop him. It was warm, loving, powerful, and weak at the same time.

“Megatron…” Orion moaned into the kiss, his intake opening as Megatron’s glossa broke through his dermas. The long wet appendage rubbed against his own possessively, desperate almost.

The two mechs began to groan, both were exhausted, lost… both desperately clinging to one another through the chaos of emotions, and uncertainties their sparks held.

“Arrrrgh, Megatron,” Orion gasped as they parted, his hips rising heat pooling within them. “Forgive my weakness, I was afraid.”

“Forgive mine love, for I too am afraid. Orion, please be strong for me. I, I am so tried… please, I need your help with this. Please love… I am not so strong.” Megatron begged as he rubbed his own hips against the Prime’s. Orion moaned as they kissed once more.

 Megatron released his wrists and moved his servos down to his lover’s shoulders holding onto them tightly. “I need you so desperately Orion. Please, please don’t go… Don’t leave me, don’t give up…”

Orion pulled his mate close, “I am so sorry love. I am trying, I swear… I am trying.”

Megatron moaned into the smaller mech’s shoulder, “I know… just don’t stop. Please. I need you, I… I want you. Orion, I…” Megatron moaned louder, his hips grating against his lover’s hard enough to draw sparks!

The Prime groaned loudly as he nuzzled his helm against his mate’s, “Megatron! I want you my love.” He gripped the larger mech fiercely, his frame becoming heated.

Megatron whimpered as the Prime turned him, his back plates rolling upon the floor as his mate lifted himself above. “I love you, I love you so much. I promise to fight this, Megatron. I am sorry, and I believe in us.” Orion vented out as he opened his spike plate. Suddenly he hesitated, and looked up to his love, “I… what do you want my love?”

Megatron moaned beneath him, his valve panel sliding aside, “You Orion, just you.”

The Prime groaned as he moved his servo down to his lover’s port. “I love that you feel safe with me, Megatron. I am honored.”

The silver mech only whined as Orion’s digits circled the outer circle of his valve. Megatron bucked against the digits, “Please Orion, please. I want you inside me!”

Orion smiled lovingly as he dipped one, and then two digits into the steaming port. His lover whimpering as his hips lifted off the floor, “Uhhhhh, Orion! Yes! I don’t want to think… just feel! Feel good!”

The prime growled as he wiggled his digits deeper into of his mate, his servo thrusting slowly at first, yet as Megatron clawed at his shoulders more desperately, his pace increased.

“Uhhhhhunnnn! Orion! Yes, PLEASE!” the silver mech threw his helm back giving himself into his love’s ministrations.

Orion’s servo quickened its pace, his lover squirming, and bucking against him. He smiled as he watched Megatron, marveling at how this mech could ease him out of his nightmares, and turn it into something as beautiful as this.

“Orion, I am ready, I want YOU in me!” Megatron gasped out as he lifted his helm.

The Prime smiled wider, pulling his digits from the sopping tunnel and crawled above his mate. He kissed Megatron’s helm as he moved his spike to his lover’s entrance. He groaned as he slowly pushed into Megatron’s wet heat. “Arrrrgh, Megatron, uhhhh, I love you!”

“Orion! Unnnnnn, I…looove you! Yes… Oh Prime! UHHHHHH!” Megatron bit his wounded derma as Orion finally hit the back of his valve. He could feel the huge spike throbbing within the walls of his port and he lifted his optics to look deeply into his mate’s.

The jagged lines had lessened once more, and the angry blaze had left his lover’s optics as he smiled down at him. “Megatron, you are beautiful.” Orion said softly as he pulled back gently.

The larger mech moaned, his intake gaping as he felt Orion press his hips forward once again. “Uhhhhh, faster!” Megatron cried out, his own hips lifting to grind against his mate’s.

The Prime growled as he complied, his hips thrusting faster, and harder. Orion buried his helm into the crook of the larger mech’s neck as he plunged into him. He inhaled deeply, the wonderful scent of his mate overwhelming all of his senses, and he licked and nipped at the delicious neck presented to him.

“Uhhhh, Uhhhh, gods Megatron! I… I love you so very much! UNNNNNNNN!” Orion slid his arms under his mate’s shoulders, wrapping his servos around them so that he could pull himself deeper into the mech beneath him. Wet sucking sounds filled the room, along with the heated moans and cries from both mechs.

Megatron wrapped his legs around his lover, angling his hips so that the magnificently pounding spike would hit all of the right clusters of nodes. He felt Orion’s tail wrap around both of his ankles keeping them locked around him as he pounded into his valve.

The silver mech turned his helm, his optics falling to Soundwave. He suddenly felt terribly guilty. He had been so lost in his grief, and anger that he had almost forgotten his about his friend. Soundwave was sitting on the edge of the berth, a gentle smile on his faceplates as he watched the two of them.

 **:Do not feel guilty Megatron. You both needed this healing moment together. I don’t mind watching this beautiful display.:**  Soundwave commed to Megatron.

Megatron moaned as Orion rolled his hips, forcing his spike to slide along the top of his port and right across a particularly large cluster of nodes. His valve clenched as he felt his overload drawing closer.

 **:Thank you.:** The silver mech commed back weakly as he turned his helm back to Orion. The smaller mech was venting raggedly above him, his optics half shuttered as he humped against him forcefully.

“Uhhhh, unnnnn, love… you’re so tight! I am… I am getting close!” Orion moaned out, his hips smashing into his mate’s roughly.

Megatron gripped at his lover’s hips, his sharp claws digging in painfully as he pulled them against his own harder. Orion’s helm lifted to the ceiling, his optics rolling into the back of his helm as he felt Megatron’s valve clench down on him, sucking his length deep as he writhed.

“UNNNNNN YES! UHHHHHH! MORE, MOOORE LOVE!! UHHHHHHH!” Megatron cried out. The heat between his thighs grew wonderfully with each frantic thrust, and he let himself dissolve into that pure bliss!

“ARRRRRRGH! ORION!” Megatron’s back arched off the floor, his optics flickering from the intensity of his climax.

The Prime roared as he slammed into his mate wildly, riding through the waves of Megatron’s overload until he finally thrust deep, his spike erupting within the clenching tunnel as he came violently!

“MEGATRON!” He screamed, his frame jerking as it emptied into his mate. “Uhhhhh, unnnnnn….”

He fell forwards then lying across the larger mech, his vents rapid, and fans whirling as his frame trembled in the aftermath of such a powerful overload.

The two of them laid there as they recovered, Orion had released his mate’s ankles, and they merely snuggled against each other contentedly. Megatron lazily rubbed the Prime’s back plates as his love nuzzled into his neck.

“I am so sorry, Megatron.” Orion whispered gently, his arms holding to the larger mech tightly.

“As am I, my love. We _will_ get through this Orion. I promise you. We are stronger than this chaos. Perhaps we weren’t long ago, but I know _I_ have learned a great deal about _true_ strength recently.” Megatron shuttered his optics, his exhaustion filtering through his system. He had not truly recharged since the tests, and after everything tonight, he could hardly stay online.

Orion seemed to sense his approaching recharge, and pulled himself from his frame. “Megatron, I am going to pick you up love, is that alright?”

The silver mech merely nodded, a small smile on his faceplates before he felt Orion’s gentle servos slip under his frame. He curled into his mate as he was cradled against his warm frame. Once upon a time he would have been mortified to be held in such a way, yet now he reveled in the protective arms of his love. He laid his helm against Orion’s, feeling the other mech squeeze him tightly as he walked to the berth.

Orion laid Megatron down gently, the silver mech mumbling something as he rolled to his side.

The Prime tilted his helm curiously, “What was that love?”

Megatron smiled lazily, “Surprise mmmm for you… tomorrow.” He vented deeply as he finally allowed the peace of recharge to come over him.

Orion smiled as he leaned forward and kissed his mate’s helm. “I love you Megatron, recharge well.”

He straightened and made his way to Soundwave quietly. He lowered his helm as he approached the smaller mech, “Soundwave, I owe you an apology as well. I am so very, very sorry for putting you both through so much. Can you ever forgive me?”

Soundwave smiled gently, his servo cupping the bottom of his love’s helm gently as he lifted it. “Orion, I love you, and forgive you for being scared.” He laughed gently as he pressed his dermas lightly against the larger mech’s.

Orion stepped forward, his long arms wrapping around the darker mech softly. “I don’t want the two of you to have to go through all of this because of me Soundwave.”

Soundwave vented deeply, curling his own arms around his love, “Orion, there is a reason we love you so deeply. That we want to go through this with you.” He looked up into the larger mech’s mismatched optics, “And that reason is you. Simple, chaotic, wonderful you! You are the most incredible mech I have ever met. You are worth fighting for dear one. So very much so!”

Orion held him tighter, “I am not so certain of that, but I know what you both mean to…uhhhh.”

Soundwave’s optics widened as Orion moaned painfully, his servo going to his helm. “Orion!? What is it love!?”

“Ju**t a  h*lm* a**ch*e!!” Orion tried to answer that it was just a helm ache, yet for some reason he couldn’t seem to get his vocalizer to function properly. All that seemed to come out was static and intermittent sounds. He looked at Soundwave, his optics narrowed in pain and confusion. “S**nd**ve, c**n’t I…”

“It is alright Orion, here sit down,” the darker mech led him over to his own berth, helping the Prime to sit. “There Orion, just rest a moment, tonight has been chaotic.” Soundwave kept his voice light, forcing a smile to his faceplates even as his spark clenched in his chamber.

Orion nodded silently, his optics shuttering as his helm twitched under his servo. The smaller mech watched sadly, his processor running through what Megatron had told him the earlier that night. The silver mech had told him quietly that Ratchet had slipped during his meeting with the human, and said Orion’s processor was close to Permanent Misfire!

Soundwave had heard of the condition, when a mech’s processor was so ruined that it would just constantly glitch, misfire. The results of the condition varied depending on the damaged processor, and what caused the damage in the first place. Some mechs would merely shake at times, or transform without meaning to. Other cases were far more severe, leaving the affected mechs a ranting, crippled mess.

As Soundwave watched Orion tremble before him, his worries increased for a similar fate falling upon his love. **_With everything that is already happening to Orion… why, why this as well? Will we save him from the darkness, just to lose him to insanity?_**

Suddenly Soundwave had an idea, “Love, if you can walk, would you like to go and get some energon with me? Perhaps it will help to clear your helm?”

Orion looked up, his optics flickering slightly as he nodded. He pushed his frame up, Soundwave helping as he tucked himself under the Prime’s arm. The larger mech took a few shaky steps at first, but soon found his pedes and together they made their way out to the hall.

The Prime’s helm continued to ache, but at least the jerking has eased and he smiled down at Soundwave, appreciative of the smaller mech’s idea.

“Th**k *y**o.” He glitched out, as he straightened his frame. He was feeling better as they went, the sudden and strange pain easing further back now, yet he still seemed to be having trouble with his vocalizer.

As they made their way to the mess hall, the two mechs heard some laughter coming from the training room. Given that it was long past midnight, the Prime was instantly curious as to who would be up at this breem of night. He looked to Soundwave, and the smaller mech smiled at him, “We have guests tonight.”

Orion squinted at him and tilted his helm curiously as Soundwave grabbed his servo and led him to the doorway.

The large mech smiled at Soundwave before he raised his optics to find Arcee, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee sitting around the training room floor. His optical ridge fell in confusion until he saw what they were circled around. There in the center of the room lay three little cloth berths, and sitting on each of them were three little humans.

His optics widened as he realized he knew these humans! He had seen glimpses of them during his strange conversation with… well, the savior as it called itself. He didn’t remember their names or have any sold memories of them, yet even just seeing them caused his spark’s pain to ease as joy and wonder replaced it.

He smiled broadly as he entered the room, causing the conversation the group had been having to cease as they all looked up at him.

“Orion!” The three Autobots exclaimed excitedly, as they stood. The children looked up at him, standing as well, their optics… or eyes as humans called them, wide with awe.

“G**r*et**ing.” Orion felt horrible that he couldn’t speak better, and he seemed frighten the group with his inability to do so.

Arcee looked especially worried, “Orion, are you alright?”

Soundwave walked up beside the Prime, the children gasping as they saw his faceplates for the first time ever! The darker mech blushed slightly, yelling at himself for having forgotten his mask in his rush to help Orion. He argued with himself over whether he should reveal his voice as well when he already felt so exposed. Yet, when he looked up to Orion’s sad faceplates he vented deeply and decided he could be brave, and speak for his love… this time anyways.

“Orion had a bit of trouble earlier, and it seems to have hindered his vocalizer.” The darker mech's soft, smooth voice rang out through the room and all of the bots and children looked at him in awe.

Orion smiled down at him, **:Thank you, my love. Thank you for being so brave. I am very lucky to have you.:** Orion commed him gently.

Soundwave blushed deeper blue, and he shyly lowered his helm.

Orion smiled wider before he turned back to the children. They all stared up at him again. They seemed frozen as their eyes took in his new frame.

Orion’s optics were just  large as the little creatures as he neared them, bending to a knee once he got close enough. “H*ll*o.”

That seemed to startle the children out their awe, and a loud squeal erupted from the little femme.

She jumped up and down excitedly, “Oh my GOD Optimus, I mean Orion! You look so rad! Look at those wings! Can I see you as a dragon!? Oh, can you take me for a flight!? I can ride on your neck! You are sooooo COOL looking!”

Orion laughed, well tried to, as the little thing ran around him with seemingly limitless energy. The two other creatures walked up to him, their mannerisms far more controlled.

The smallest human smiled up at him, “Orion. Hi. We… we missed you.” His voice sounded terribly gloomy.

“Hey Orion. Ahhh, I know you don’t remember us, but I am Jack, this is Raph or Raphael, and she is Miko. Uhhh, wow. You do look pretty amazing Opti…Orion. It is… really good to see you.” The child smiled sadly, his optics filling with liquid.

Orion frowned sadly, extending his servos the children, and they eagerly climbed into them, Miko and Raph in one, and Jack in the other. He gently picked up the precious cargo and brought them close to his faceplates. “I**m s**s*or*ry.” He said sadly, his own optics filling with coolant as he held the children close.

Miko moved forwards, placing her little servos, no hands, against his faceplates, “Don’t worry about it big guy… We love you.”

Raph came forwards as well, his little frame hitching as he spread his arms, and pressed himself against Orion’s helm. “I’ve missed you Opti… Orion.”

Jack smiled at the others, “We know you have gone through a lot Orion, and… if there is anything we can do to… to help. We are here for you. Okay?”

A drip of coolant escaped Orion’s optics as he smiled, “F*m**il*y.”

Jack looked surprised at that, his wide optics also dripping, “Yeah big guy. Family.” He moved forwards finally, placing his hand on the titan and leaned his forehead against Orion. “We love you Orion. We can do this.”

The Prime shuttered his optics, his spark singing in his chassis as the children held him. He didn’t remember everything about these wonderful little beings, but his spark certainly did and it filled him with so much hope.

The Autobots watched their leader and the children quietly. Bulkhead was smiling broadly his optics gleaming, Bumblebee danced chirping and chittering happily, and even Arcee had to wipe some coolant from her faceplates.

He smiled as he lowered them gently, Soundwave coming up behind him. “Orion, why don’t you stay and visit? I shall grab a few cubes of energon and be right back dear one.”

Orion smiled up at him, and Soundwave gasped, **_Orion’s optic! It is almost completely white! And there are no lines at all! Oh Megatron, maybe your plan will work after all!_**

Orion looked curiously at the other mech. **:I would appreciate that Soundwave, yet are you alright?:**

 **:Your optic my love. It is almost white again. I think the human children are very good for you right now.:** Soundwave commed back smiling widely.

Orion blinked at him for a moment before he smiled brightly, “H**pp*y.”

Soundwave laughed, shocking the children even more and they laughed too. Soon the whole group began to laugh as they settled along the floor once more. Soundwave turned to leave, but Orion took his servo gently before he left. “L*o**v*e.”

The darker mech blushed, yet leaned down and kissed the top of his lover’s helm gently. “I love you as well dear one. I shall return.”

Orion smiled and turned towards the gaping children as Soundwave made his way to the mess hall. The darker mech had just left the room when he heard the human femme squeal once more, “EEEEEEP! You two are so CUUUUUTE!”

Soundwave smiled as he walked, **_Oh Orion, what life you can inspire around you… You truly are a magnificent being my love… Something we all need, and shall work towards keeping... now, then, and always..._**


	28. All Good Things...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter... stuff happens... EEEEEEEEP! Sorry for any errors, will fix asap. Ok, ENJOY!

Megatron awoke to an empty room. He rubbed his optics as he pushed through the haze of recharge and checked his chronometer. He was surprised to find it was near eight in the morning, he had recharged for almost eight breems!? During the war he was lucky to get three solid breems, other than when in stasis.

He picked his frame up off the berth and stretched, he was a little sore from his small fight with Orion. Megatron smiled as he thought of the aftermath of said fight figuring that may have something to do with his soreness as well.

The silver mech walked out into the hall wondering where Orion or Soundwave might be. He figured he would make his way to the mess hall first as most mechs would be getting their morning fuel anyways.

He made his way there nodding at his vehicon soldiers as he did so. He noticed that so many of them no longer jumped away from him as they used to, and he found himself surprised that that didn’t bother him, and if anything, it made him feel good.

He had ruled over them ruthlessly for a very long time, never allowing himself to be seen as weak, or soft. The result left him rather wary of his soldier’s loyalty, no soldier getting close enough to him to vent even, well except Soundwave. Yet now they greeted him, some happily so!

He smiled as he once again marveled at the changes that had occurred since Orion came aboard. Pit, if it hadn’t been for his mate, he wouldn’t have even known his vehicons had given themselves designations!

He shook his helm, his spark glowing as he thought of Orion. **_You have ruined me as a warlord love…_**

When he made it to the training room he turned to peek inside briefly. He knew little pes… _children_ , would not be keen on seeing him so he chose not to enter, yet when he looked in he found himself smiling broadly and he stepped up to the doorway. It seemed the other Autobots must have awoken already as they were not present yet there along the back wall sat Orion and Soundwave each deep in recharge.

The Prime’s frame was sitting, his back against the wall with Soundwave sitting next to him, his smaller frame leaning against Orion’s shoulder. The children were all curled up around the two mechs. The oldest boy slept in Orion’s lap leaning against his chassis, the female was snoring as she lay sprawled out across the palm of his open servo, and the smallest boy was curled up in Soundwave’s lap, a little smile twitching across his face as he slept.

The large mech smiled at the sight. They all looked so at peace, like a family…

He felt his spark clench painfully, and he immediately pulled his field in tight. Venting painfully he stumbled back from the doorway his servo gripping at his chest plates. He knew this particular pain well yet hadn’t felt it so clearly in a very long time. It was the echo of what was left of his bond to his sparkling.

He groaned as he held his spark chamber, for a moment the pain was so overwhelming he had to hold himself up with a servo against the wall next to him.

“Megatron? Are you alright?” Ratchet’s voice called to him from down the hall as the medic started running to him.

The silver mech raised his helm, “Fine medic. I am fine.” He grated out, his voice was rough, and strained.

The medic had finally made his way to him, his optics falling to Megatron’s servo as it gripped at his spark chamber, “Your spark!? What is it!? Is Orion alright?” The smaller mech immediately looked into the training room, yet was surprised to find Orion recharging peacefully.

Megatron pushed himself to stand up straight as the pain became a duller throb. “I am fine medic, leave _it_.” His voice sounded angrier than he intended and Ratchet turned to him, his optical ridge drawn tight.

 The medic looked like he was going to retort in an equally dark tone, yet his optics suddenly softened as realization hit. “It is the children, isn’t it?”

“I SAID LEAVE IT!” Megatron growled out as he turned and stomped away from the smaller mech.

Ratchet groaned, his servo rubbing down his faceplates, **_Arrrrrrgh, leave it alone Ratchet… just leave it. He is already angry enough don’t press him further…_**

The medic rolled his optics chastising himself as he followed after the fuming silver mech.

“Megatron, if you are feeling those echoes, Orion might as well soon, and given his current…”

The silver mech spun on the smaller mech, “MEDIC I am being generous in warning you before you continue with whatever _slag_ you were just about to say. I almost lost Orion to his self-doubt last night, Ratchet. I do _not_ need your help in feeding those doubts GOT IT!?”

Ratchet lifted his servos defensively, “I am merely saying, that if you are feeling the echoes, he probably will soon as well… Reliving that… and his processor being the way it is. I am fragging terrified of the result.” The medic’s voice was very quiet by the end, his servos wrapping around his frame as if hugging himself.

Megatron glared at the smaller mech, yet  couldn’t deny he shared the medic’s fears. “I have felt them for eons Ratchet. Just because I had a sudden echo, doesn’t mean Orion will.”

The smaller mech looked up at him, “Yes well, Optimus _never_ had an echo, and that is unheard of for a carrier. I always theorized it had something to do with the Matrix. Now that he no longer has it, those echoes could indeed come through. I mean… the whole situation is a ticking time bomb anyways, we are one flashback from the same outcome.”

Megatron growled in frustration, “What would you like me to do about it medic? Tell him of the sparkling? It would be akin to telling Bulkhead he lost a sparkling. He would feel sad perhaps, but with no memories of it, and no echo, it would be less than effective when the true realization… the true horror comes. Besides…” the silver mech deflated, his processor running through old nightmares, “Neither Orion or Optimus, evidently, have ever truly had time to process the loss. Not like us. Orion was lost to us within kliks after our sparkling was… was… Arrrrgh, I doubt we will ever be able to truly prepare him for any part of it.”

Ratchet smiled sadly and he placed his servo on the larger mech’s arm, “I know. I just… I am a medic and I don’t know how to fix any of this. I wish I could help…”

The silver mech looked down at him, his optics sullen, “I will be there for him Ratchet. I have to believe he will get through all of this. That we all can. I can’t lose him again Ratchet. I…”

Suddenly pede steps interrupted both mechs, and they looked up to find Soundwave walking out of the training room. He smiled at them as he held the little half-awake human.

Ratchet smiled at the two of them broadly, “Hello Raphael, Soundwave… it is good to see you out and about without your mask kid.”

Megatron looked at the medic flatly, “Kid?”

“Hey at my age, every mech is a kid.” Ratchet retorted.

“Even Knockout?” Megatron asked wirily.

Ratchet blushed instantly, “Well… uh… no. I…”

Megatron laughed heartily, he enjoyed giving the medic a taste of his own medicine. “Good morning Soundwave, did you recharge well?”

The darker mech nodded, “Yes, although we seemed to have slept in a bit. We had a very long night with conversing with seemingly inexhaustible children.” Soundwave smiled down at the boy in his servo.

Ratchet laughed as he extended his servo and allowed Raph to crawl over to him, “Yes well we need to get you children home soon anyways.”

“Not too soon Ratchet!” Raph cried out as he rubbed his tired eyes. “Opt… ahh Orion said he would take us each for a flight!”

“WHAAAAT!?” The medic nearly dropped the boy as he cried out. “ABSOLUTELY NOT! I can’t even remotely calculate how dangerous that could be!”

“Oh come now medic, the children shall be with Orion. He will not allow any harm to come to them.” Megatron said rolling his optics.

Ratchet glared at him even as Raph looked up at the former warlord in surprise.

“This will be good for Orion, Ratchet. Give him this moment.” Megatron said in a more serious tone.

The smaller mech gritted his denta, “FINE. But I want straps, helmets, frag EVERYTHING!”

Raph smiled broadly looking at Megatron gratefully, “Thank you Megatron!”

The former warlord looked at the boy, his optics narrowed in confusion, “You are welcome, child.” He said timidly.

Ratchet rolled his optics then, “Perhaps that would be more meaningful if you didn’t look like you were going to eat him Megatron.”

Megatron glared at the medic but Raph just laughed, “It is ok Ratchet. I know he meant it.”

Both of the mechs looked at the boy stunned and Raph smiled, “Orion told us you may not know how to show your emotions well, but that, that we shouldn’t be scared of you anymore. That you really do wanna change, and that a lot of bad things happened to you. That is why you were so angry all the time. He says that, umm… every creature has the capacity of good in them, and ummm sometimes it just takes a little compassion, and patience from others to see it, and help it grow. Or haha, something like that. I was kinda tired then, but I believe him. You obviously have changed Megatron, and I think, if we all help out, maybe we will be able to all meet the Megatron that Orion loves. That is what family is all about anyways. Supporting one another, love, and forgiveness.”

Ratchet smiled warmly as he shook his helm, and Megatron merely gaped at the boy.

“Well said, Raphael.” Orion’s deep voice rang throughout the hall, and the small group looked over at him.

Miko and Jack were yawning in his servos as he walked over to the other mechs and Raph. He smiled as he let the humans down gently.

Megatron smiled widely at his love, moving to hug the smaller mech while carefully avoiding the humans as he did so.

Orion held him back, “Good morning love.”

Miko squealed as she watched the two huge mechs embrace. “This is so cute! Like the best love story EVER! You got, love, drama, and explosions! EPIC!”

Ratchet glared at her, “I would like to do without the explosions Miko…”

“Pffft, I can’t be epic without explosions, Ratchet! Otherwise it is just a boring old sissy tale.” The girl imitated vomiting and Ratchet groaned.

Orion shook his helm as he pulled back from his love. “Soundwave and I are going to take the children to the surface for a bit love, would you like to join us?”

Megatron looked at the children and then back to Orion. “I suppose I could do so.” He answered apprehensively.

Orion beamed, “Wonderful, let’s get some fuel and make it to the surface? The children suggested fueling on Earth like a…” The Prime looked down at Miko, “What was that called?”

“A PICNIC! We each have a lunch box full of our stuff; all we need now is a giant blanket!” The girl exclaimed.

Megatron frowned, “I think I have something we could use, we have some older mesh that we used to use for parachutes. I am sure I can find some of them.”

“I know where they are stored Megatron, I shall go and retrieve them.” Soundwave said lightly as he smiled and went to fetch them.

Orion smiled broadly, “I shall gather the energon, do you know of any place that would be fitting for this venture?” He asked, his optics gleaming.

Megatron smiled at his love when he suddenly realized how light the purple optic had become! He felt his spark soar at the sight, “Ratchet, that cove Optimus used to visit… do you know the coordinates to its location?”

Ratchet nodded, “Yeah, I do. I think Knockout and I will join you all as well. Just in case of… mishaps.”

Megatron rolled his optics once more as he wrapped his arm around Orion and steered his love towards the ground bridge, the children and Ratchet following after.

………………………………..

It was indeed one of the more beautiful spots along the deserts of Nevada. There was far more vegetation there, and even some grass.

The group had set up one of the larger parachutes and had peacefully, if not a little awkwardly shared in each other’s company as they fueled.  Megatron stayed mostly silent as he watched the humans and bots before him converse and laugh.

He was amazed as even Soundwave, still mask-less, was eagerly speaking  with the smallest boy. The two of them were discussing technology, programming, algorithms based off of the human internet, and other such nonsense.

Ratchet sat with Knockout’s helm in his lap as they talked with the older children and Orion over random subjects that were Earth related. Orion took in as much of the information as he could, from the formation of clouds, the life cycles of plants, how many countries there were, languages spoken…

**_Oh my love… how so much has changed since you returned to me. You truly are a beacon of hope for us all…_ **

Megatron couldn’t help but smile at his love thinking back on how once a younger Orion had told him he had wanted to traverse the universe and learn everything he could about all of the species and planets therein.

**_Well love, at least you partially got that dream… just not in the way you had hoped._ **

Finally they had finished fueling and the children excitedly awaited their turns to fly with Orion. Ratchet had brought some rope to secure the children with, and Jack had brought the helmet he wore when he rode Arcee.

Orion smiled as the children scampered around him, he was only a little nervous about his programming potentially taking over, yet knew his loves would help ease him back to himself if need be.

He moved down the hill a bit and transformed to his predacon form much to the children’s delight.

Ratchet lifted Miko on first as the small femme seemed she was near meltdown with her excitement. As she sat around Orion’s neck she squealed, “This is gonna be just like the BEST THING EVEEEEER! Take pictures! Oh MAN!”

The medic grunted worriedly, “Stop moving so much! I can’t get the rope tight with all your squirming! No going too high, or fast, or…ugh Primus this is a terrible idea…”

Orion swung his great neck to look at the medic, his field emitted warmth and protectiveness over the child. The smaller mech grumbled as he tied the last knot and stepped back. “You hold on the WHOLE TIME! No arms flailing about GOT IT!?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah! LET’S GO!” Miko yelled out as she shut the front of the helmet.

Orion snorted in amusement as he stretched out his long wings, and ran forwards.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! YEAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!” Miko screamed as Orion pushed off the ground, and they were off!

The mechs on the ground all smiled as the two sailed off, that was until Miko immediately threw her arms into the air as she hollered her joy!

Ratchet blanched, “YOU STUPID...! Arrrrgh… no one listens, NO ONE!” He grumbled as he moved back to their makeshift blanket, Knockout smiling as he settled down next to the grumpy mech.

Megatron and Soundwave laughed, the silver mech watching his love glide through the sky as the sun glittered off of his white plating. He smiled as Orion roared happily, the girl yelling in response.

“Did you notice his optic?” Soundwave asked gently as he walked over to his leader, his helm raised to the sky.

Megatron nodded, “Yes, seems all he needs is a little less chaos.”

Soundwave laughed lightly, “I think we all do. This is quite nice, this picnic. I never thought we would have moments like this again.”

The silver mech hummed quietly as he lowered his helm, “The wonder of Orion seems to know no bounds. I will find a way to restore Cybertron without losing him, Soundwave. I will not allow his light to be taken from us, never again, not unless I go with it.”

Soundwave frowned, “This does all seem to mirror our past with him, doesn’t it?” His voice was low, and sorrowful.

“Not this time Soundwave. I don’t care what that wretched Prime thinks he _must_ do. We are not younglings anymore, and he has a processor of his own. He can make the decision.”

Soundwave looked up at his friend, “And if that decision is to give his spark to Cybertron?”

Megatron growled, “Then my time will be at an end… there is only darkness in his absence. A darkness I have been wrapped in for too long, and have no desire to suffer through ever again.”

The darker mech lowered his helm, “Then I shall follow.”

“I know my friend, yet there is hope yet, and I will fight to find an alternative to that miserable outcome.” The silver mech looked up to his mate once more. “We may not deserve a second chance, but he does.”

A cold wind blew as the two mechs stood silently watching their love.

Megatron frowned as the sky began to grow darker, “Is it supposed to storm, Soundwave?”

Soundwave’s optics narrowed as he shivered,  his vents creating white puffs around him, “Negative.” His voice sounded dark, and concerned. “We should get Orion to…”

A thundering sound exploded behind them, and both mechs were instantly in battle stances as they spun around.

A dark portal had opened behind them, and from it came a hulking dark mech.

Megatron growled as the Fallen emerged, a wicked smile crossing his faceplates, “Have you missed me?”

“CHILDREN, TO ME!” Ratchet screamed as he transformed instantly. The humans gaped at the titan that had suddenly appeared before them, frozen.

“JACK!” The medic yelled again, and the older boy finally grabbed the smaller child and ran towards him.

Megatron lunged at the larger mech, chastising himself for not having brought any weapons.

The larger mech laughed as he easily ducked the silver mech’s blow, his servo transforming into a long glowing blade, and he brought it across the smaller mech’s chassis.

“ARRRRGH!” Megatron cried out at the weapon sliced into his plating, luckily not too deep, but his spark clenched as he heard Orion roar as he too felt the wound.

Soundwave jumped onto the larger mech’s back, his tendrils erupting from his frame as they wrapped around the hulking mech’s limbs.

“MEGATRON, PROTECT ORION!” Soundwave called out as he sent a vicious shock of electricity through his tendrils causing the Prime to scream, and fall to his knees.

Megatron nodded as he transformed and blasted off to the approaching predacon. “NO ORION! FOLLOW ME!” He screamed at his mate, watching as the poor girl clung desperately to him.

Orion turned, his spark in chaos, he needed to get the little creature to safety, but his mates were under attack as well! He roared as he followed his bonded, the silver mech guiding him to where both the orange and red mech were driving to.

 **:Megatron, get him to drop down here, Knockout will untie Miko!:** Ratchet commed Megatron desperately.

The silver jet began to descend, Orion following close as Soundwave screamed behind them.

 ** _ARRRRRGH! SOUNDWAVE... Hold on... Please!?_** Megatron growled as they finally made it to the ground.

Orion landed lightly as Knockout transformed and ran up to the child on his back. He transformed a servo to his buzz saw, and quickly sawed through the rope, grabbing Miko franticly.

“I have her, GO!” The red mech screamed as he flipped backwards, transforming as he did so, the girl landing safely inside of him as the two medics sped away.

 **:We are going to get the kids to safety and return Megatron. I will comm the others! Take care of each other!:** Ratchet commed before they disappeared.

Both Orion and Megatron had immediately spun and headed back towards the Fallen just to be surprised as the demonic mech flew straight at them!

Orion roared as their frames crashed into one another, and immediately began to fall from the sky!

The smaller Prime finally pulled himself free of the Fallen, and he transformed, “MEGATRON! FIND SOUNDWAVE!” With that he followed after Megatronus’s continued descent.

Megatron hesitated only for a moment, yet as he watched Orion _SLAM_ the other Prime into the Earth below them, he figured his mate could hold his own for the moment.

He raced over to where he had last seen the darker mech and transformed as he landed. His spark was frantic as he scanned the hill, “SOUNDWAVE!” He screamed out, the sounds of Orion’s battle echoing throughout the landscape behind him.

His optics scanned the ground around him, finally finding a dismembered tendril but nothing more! “SOUNDWAVE!”

Suddenly he heard a small groan from the left and he tore his way towards it! He vented brokenly as he found his oldest friend lying brokenly across a fallen tree, his frame was littered with leaves and debris yet there almost directly in the center of his chest plates sprouted the jagged end of one of the Fallen’s blades.

Apparently he had been stabbed through so deeply, the blade had broken as Megatronus had thrown him.

Megatron felt his spark grow cold, **_OHHH Primus… Soundwave…_**

Soundwave’s frame twitched around the accursed weapon, energon flowing freely from both his chest, and dermas.

The silver mech hurried to his side, his processor glitching as he tried to think of what to do! He groaned slightly as he felt a burn across his own back plates and realized Orion must have been wounded somehow, yet not too badly…yet.

He lifted his helm, his optics searching for his mate when Soundwave gripped his servo weakly. He looked down at the dying mech franticly.

“O…orr..ion.” Soundwave struggled out, coughing energon as he did so.

Megatron moaned miserably, gripping at his helm with his free servo, “Soundwave, if I leave you, you may die. I can’t… I need to fly you to Ratchet!” Another flash of pain ripped across his chassis, and his spark clenched in terror and indecision.

**_What do I do!? WHAT DO I DO!? IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN EVEN DO FOR SOUNDWAVE NOW!?_ **

“O…Orrr…” Soundwave moaned out, his optics shuttering in agony.

“ARRRRRGH!” Megatron growled out, **:RATCHET! I NEED YOU HERE NOW! Soundwave is DYING!:**

After what seemed like an eternity, he heard Ratchet comm back. **:ON ROUTE! Two kliks!:**

Megatron roared, his servos shaking as he watched Soundwave cough up another batch of energon, **:FASTER!:**

The silver mech suddenly felt fire _surge_ through his tanks, and he stumbled from the blow. **_NO! ORION!_**

The sliver mech felt horror fill his spark as the pain did not ebb, and he sobbed wretchedly as his decision was made for him. “Ratchet is on his way Soundwave… I... I am sorry...ohhh, my friend, please don’t die on me... on us!”

With a heavy spark he transformed, and blasted off towards his mate.

 _**Oh Soundwave, please hold on... please my friend. I would never forgive myself, and** _ _**Orion would never forgive me,  if I left you to die alone... I will return for you, I swear... just hold ON!** _

…………………………………

Orion _SLAMMED_ his fist into Megatronus, and they both hurtled towards the sands below! He extended his wings just in time to slow his own fall, and ease himself into a roll as he hit the surface.

The Fallen was not so lucky, and crashed against the ground with a sickening _crunch!_

Orion felt his frame skid to a stop, and he quickly lifted himself into a crouch as he growled viciously at the other Prime.

Megatronus laughed as he pushed his great frame up, sand rolling from like water. “Well done Primus… well done. I have waited too long though, little _god_. I will get what I came for this time.”

Orion snarled at him, his fanged denta gritting together tightly, “I will never allow a creature like you to rule over Cybertron!”

The larger mech laughed harder, “We shall see, you may have a part of Primus within you, yet I warrant you have no idea how to use that power, do you?”

The smaller mech glared at him, his pistons coiling along his legs tightly, “We shall see Megatronus.”

Orion suddenly pushed himself off of the sands, all of the stored energy propelling him forwards in a flash as he transformed his servo into a gleaming white blade.

“ARRRRGH!” He screamed as he sailed towards the larger mech. He was more than grateful he still could transform his servos into weapons, as he had yet to try before now.

The Fallen also transformed his servo, a similar yet far darker blade extending from his wrist. He swung forwards just as the smaller Prime reached him, and their blades clashed against each other violently!

Orion roared as he immediately spun, his blade singing through the air as he lowered his frame, and sliced into the larger mech’s unprotected lower chassis.

The Fallen growled, his own blade swinging downwards yet Orion had already rolled back, free of his reach.

The demonic mech placed his other servo against the deep wound, his black optics blazing in fury. “Perhaps I may have underestimated your ability brother; I shall not do so again.”

The smaller Prime almost felt proud of himself when the other mech suddenly lifted his energon covered servo and a huge gush of air flew at him! He was thrown from his pedes, his frame flying through the air until he slammed into a boulder that stood nearby.

“UUUUGH!” Orion moaned, his optics filling with static, and back plates aching. He lifted his helm to just in time to weakly swing his blade as the larger Prime slashed at his chassis!

 He wasn’t able to completely avoid the other’s attack, and he screamed as he felt it connect with his chassis, ripping diagonally across him before his own blade was able to knock it away!

Orion vented as the monstrous mech before him seemed to become a blur of strikes, and he found himself desperate to keep up with the frantic blows! **_I should have trained with Solus! I have been such a FOOL! I don’t know how to use my powers except through pure reaction!_**

He tried to focus enough to access that power. Tried to find the trigger to it all! **_PLEASE! PLEEEASE! I NEED THIS!_**

“YOU SEE MECH! You are NO MATCH FOR ME! I WILL HAVE YOUR SPARK!” Megatronus roared out as he swung down at an incalculable speed. Orion cried out as he parried the vicious stroke, just to watch the larger mech’s fist fly forward before smashing into his helm!

His optics filled with static blinding him for a moment before he _screamed_ as fire tore through his chassis!

Orion looked down blearily to find the larger Prime’s blade deeply embedded into his chassis! The wretched blade went all the way through him, until it sunk deeply into the boulder behind him!

“Uhhhh,” He moaned out, energon filling his intake as he coughed wetly.

Megatronus laughed wickedly, his other servo reaching towards the smaller Prime’s helm.

He caressed the younger Prime's helm gently... “Ahhh, I will say, that was rather impressive defense mech. Not many have been able to hold me off that long, and yet… the outcome remains the same.”

The hulking mech grunted as he ripped the blade out from the stone behind Orion, and allowed the smaller Prime to slowly slip off the blade.

The white mech moaned as he slid along the sword, venting raggedly as he felt his insides burn with white hot fire as each inch of the blade sliced through more of his internals until finally, he fell free.

He landed weakly onto his knees, his frame tipping forwards, only to be stopped by Megatronus’s servos. “No dying yet brother. I need your spark intact.”

Orion groaned brokenly, his spark chaotic in his chassis. **_I have to fight, I can do this. I HAVE TO!_**

He watched as Megatronus began to reach for his spark chamber, terror filling him when he suddenly heard a ROAR from above!

The Fallen’s helm spun he saw the silver jet coming barreling towards him. He laughed as he grabbed Orion by the shoulders and hurled him towards the incoming mech!

Megatron transformed immediately, his arms going out as he caught his love midair, and he curled around the smaller frame as best he could as they crashed into the sands below.

“Arrrrgh!” Megatron bellowed as they slid to a stop. His frame felt like slag from the awful landing, but his optics fell to Orion.

“LOVE!? Orion! Are you…”

“I’m fine!” The smaller mech strangled out, his frame shaking slightly as he gripped at the terrible wound in his chassis.

Megatron untangled his aching frame from Orion’s, his optics growing wide as he noticed the amount of energon that was flowing from his lover’s frame.

“FRAGGIN BASTARD!” He screamed as he pulled himself up. “I need to get us out of here Orion! I have no weapons, and you can’t fight like this!”

Orion coughed again, “He will follow us Megatron… we need to fight him here!” He weakly pushed himself to his servos and knees. “My systems are already working on the wound. I just can’t access any of my POWERS! I don’t know how without being in a rage! Without them, I cannot beat him… I…”

Megatron watched the demonic Prime smile as he neared them slowly. He suddenly caught on to what Orion had said, **_POWERS! That’s RIGHT! Rage… RAGE!? No… that is too unpredictable! And yet… we need them…_**

He looked sadly at his love, his spark heavy, and fearful… “Orion… I am so sorry to do it like this… but you’re right we need that rage…” Even though he knew they needed those powers… that rage, he hesitated in what he was about to say.

The white mech looked up at him, his optics suddenly growing wide as he felt his mate’s sorrow, “What is it Megatron, WAIT!” The Prime pushed himself up weakly, “Where is he… WHERE IS HE?”

Orion spun on Megatron, completely ignoring the approaching Prime, “WHERE IS SOUNDWAVE!?”

The Fallen laughed, causing the other two mechs to stare at him, “Probably dead by now, my brother. I suggest you cease this futile fight now, before more mechs suffer to protect you. You don’t want more energon on your servos, do you?”

Orion felt his spark freeze within him, his helm turning slowly towards his mate. “Megatron… is that… is Soundwave…?”

His love looked sadly at him, his optics filling with coolant, "He was alive when I left him Orion, but... but... he... ” Megatron moaned brokenly, his optics dripping with the collected coolant as guilt and sorrow overtook him.

Orion vented finally, his systems screaming at him, all in need of that precious air, begging for help to cool his frantic, and terrified frame.

_**But...but... he could be... Soundwave could be... no... Love... NO! No... my love... gentle, wonderful,  strong, intelligent, beautiful... SOUNDWAVE CAN'T BE...** _

“No. NO. NOOOOOOOO!!!!” Orion SCREAMED! His vents wild as his previously frozen spark THUNDERED within his frame. He turned on the laughing Prime, his optics blazing. “YOOOOOOUUUUUU!”

Orion felt the world melt away as sorrow, horror, and blinding raw RAGE filled him. Not Soundwave... Not him!? NOT HIM!!!!

Not for Orion, not because of him! Not because of his accursed existence!?

The Fallen Prime stopped as he felt the air around him suddenly grow heavy, and thick. **_What is this?_**

He watched as the white mech before him began to tremble, his left optic filling with a sick purple hue, and jagged, seething lines burned along his plating. The Fallen took a step back, his own spark hammering in its chamber as Orion changed.   ** _This power… this feels like…_**

“ **ARRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!** YOU MOOONNNNNSTER!” Orion ROARED, his claws extending, and denta growing to jagged fangs. "HOW DARE YOU TAKE HIM FROM MEEEEEE!"

The Fallen's optics widened as, for the first time in eons, he felt terror grip his spark.

_**What have I awoken?** _


	29. Fallen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhh.... ohhh this chapter.... It has led to a huge knot in my shoulder from being so tense as it wrote it all. Hope you enjoy... and yay fast update! I had time!

Ratchet pushed his engine as hard as he could as he raced back to the cove. Megatron’s last comm terrified him.

**_Soundwave is dying… What of the others? What of Orion… Megatron?_ **

He screamed as he felt his spark burn terribly in his frame. **_Let me get there in time! Please! PLEASE!?_**

His tires ripped across the sands as he neared the cove. He could hear something crash terribly nearby, yet he focused on where he had last seen the darker mech.

He slid across the sands as he punched his brakes, and transformed.

The medic vented raggedly, his spark clenched in terror as his optics scanned the broken terrain. **_Look for energon, find the trail…find the…_**

His optics fell to the dismembered tentacle, and he raced towards it. Ratchet’s optics were frantic as he followed the sparkling blue trail of energon to where more of the vegetation had been torn apart. He raced further up the hill to find a larger tree that had been ripped from the Earth, and poor Soundwave lying atop the uprooted plant.

“Ohhhh…. Soundwave,” The medic moaned as he neared the darker mech.

Staring down at the terrible blade tip that seemed to go directly through the darker mech’s spark chamber, Ratchet found himself amazed that Soundwave was still online. **_For now anyways…_**

The medic began to wrap medical tape around the blade’s end, making sure to secure it in place until he could safely remove the piece in the Nemesis’s med bay. He was just about finished when he heard Orion _scream_ wretchedly.

Ratchet lifted his helm, his optics searching. He wasn’t sure what the Prime was saying, but his screams sounded horrifyingly familiar. **_He screamed like that during the tests… Oh Orion keep your slag to…_**

A sudden pressure erupted around the medic, his frame bending with the force of it. He groaned as he looked up, his optics widening as he watched the sparse trees around him bend slightly from the weight as well.

**_FRAG IT ALL… ORION!_ **

Soundwave moaned brokenly, pulling Ratchet back to his patient. The lithe mech un-shuttered his optics weakly, “O…Ori..”

“Hush, Soundwave. Don’t waste your energy. Megatron is with him, you focus on staying alive. Orion would be devastated if you offlined.” Ratchet said gently, his spark heavy with worry for the trine.

The dark mech groaned, trying to turn his helm towards Orion’s screams. He vented raggedly, his whole frame shuddering with the effort of staying online. His optics were dim, and he realized he could barely see, or it was had the sky just turned dark as night?

**_Where… where is Orion… Why is it so cold? Why is he… he is screaming…_ **

He coughed wretchedly, agony ripping through his frame as he did so. If only he could ease the pain in his spark, he could think clearly… maybe?

“Or…r…i..on..” He moaned out once more. **_Don’t give into that darkness love… please… I will be strong, but so must you be…_**

Ratchet growled at how long it was taking the rest of the bots to get here! He really didn’t want to watch Soundwave die here in the sands just because they were too late!

A crackle of a ground bridge sounded behind him finally, his spark jumping with relief. 

Out ran Bulkhead, Bumblebee, Arcee, Lugnut, Strika, Predaking, Solus, and Knockout. The younger medic had apparently returned to the Nemesis after dropping the kids off to Jack’s house.

Ratchet stood, “Arcee, Bulkhead, I need you both, the rest of you Orion and Megatron are…”

A huge gust of wind, or _power_ suddenly washed over the group of bots, and all of them had to hunker down to keep from being blown away!

All of their optics grew wide as they heard a monstrous _ROAR_ echo out east of them!

Ratchet grit his denta, “Follow the roar!” He yelled over the growing wind.

Knockout ran up to him as the group split, his optics terrified as he looked at the dark sky. **_It was just a beautiful sunny day mere kliks ago!_**

 He looked down at Soundwave’s mangled frame as he neared the other medic, “Won’t you need my help!?” He had to yell as the wind continued to blast at them.

“No! I need you here! Arcee can help me!” Ratchet yelled back to him, his frame shaking in fear for whatever was going on around them all… **_Is this all because of Orion!? Oh… please don’t let us lose him to this!_**

Knockout hesitated a moment before he rushed forward and hugged the larger mech tightly. “Be safe! I… I will see you when I get back!”

Ratchet held the younger mech tightly, his spark aching, “Please be SAFE Knockout! I… I… yeah, I will see you soon!”

Both medics pulled back, looking at one another deeply, their blue and red optics revealing so much more than they allowed themselves to say. Finally Knockout set his dermas, a determined look crossing his faceplates before he turned and sped off towards the others.

Ratchet watched him go, his spark burning so hot with terror he was certain it would melt through his chest plates. **_Be safe… I love you…_**

Bulkhead stumbled up to him, his optics wide as he looked down at the smaller mech, “You ready Ratchet!?”

The medic turned, another gust of wind almost pushing him over, “Grab him gently Bulkhead, we need to make sure NOT to dislodge the blade until we are in the med bay!”

The large mech nodded, and oh so gently picked up Soundwave’s limp frame. He followed Ratchet carefully down the hill, amazed that he didn’t trip over any of the foliage.

Ratchet rushed to the still open ground bridge ushering both Arcee, and Bulkhead ahead of him. His helm turned towards the east once more, **_Oh, please… be safe, all of you._**

He groaned as he ran through the bridge, his processor switching to medic mode as he ran after his patient.

**_You will not die today, Soundwave! No mech will!_ **

**_……………………._ **

Megatron felt his spark grow cold as the rage enveloped his love. Not only did Orion have the terrible jagged lines along his the left side of his faceplates and chassis, but they had spread further, completely taking over his left arm and wing!

The air felt terribly thick and heavy around him, his frame sluggish under the weight of it all. He grunted against the power his mate emitted. **_Oh Orion, please love, don’t fall so deep! I don’t know if I can pull you back out of this depth!_**

Orion felt the power come over him, and he _reveled_ in its _GLORY!_  He raised his helm, a wicked smile raging across his faceplates as he saw fear flicker in his prey’s optics.

He brought his servos up slowly, and sent an exploratory push of his power out before him, the result was INCREDIBLE! A huge burst of air exploded from him, and the Fallen had to huddle into himself as his frame slid backwards.

The landscape didn’t fare as well as the trees and rocks were pulled from the Earth and went flying backwards, some striking the other Prime as they flew.

Orion smiled, his prey was far from weak, it would be a good battle. He _ROARED_ as he ran forward, his servos transforming into blades once more, and he thrust them out before him!

 Megatronus roared as well, his sword coming up to meet the mad Prime’s sword readily. He wacked the first away, amazed at the sudden weight behind the blow, yet was not so lucky with the next blow as it ripped across his shoulder.

“Arrrrgh!” Megatronus gritted out, his frame stepping back as Orion advanced upon him.

The smaller Prime roared as another gust of power exploded from him, this one forcing the Fallen back harder, and the great mech stumbled back.

Orion pushed again, and again, slowly working the larger mech back before jumping at his stumbling frame. He brought his blades down along the Fallen’s chest plates with a roar! The two blades _screeched_ down along the plates, sparks flickering in the darkness that seemed to have overtaken the sun’s light.

Megatronus howled, as he stumbled back, his untransformed servo going to his bleeding chest plates.

The hulking mech snarled at the insane Prime before him. **_Why is he like this!? Why does Unicron’s power flow through him!? Primus has become tainted!? Is it because of me?_**

Suddenly he felt his spark pulling at something behind him, and he used his power to push the other Prime away from him _hard_! Orion may have a wretched amount of power, but he had far less mass, and as the Fallen’s power slammed into him, he went flying back! Not nearly as far as before, but it was enough to give Megatronus a moment to vent before he looked behind himself to see what was pulling at him.

His optics widened, not from the enraged mechs that were running towards him, but at the gloriously beautiful faceplates of his love. He growled at the sight, immediately coiling his pistons, before he sprang towards her in one huge jump.

Solus gaped as her lo.. Megatronus, came flying at her! The other bots cried out, and they readied their weapons as the Fallen crashed down in the center of the group, the Earth shaking from his impact.

He straightened his frame, a smile upon his faceplates, “My love.” His deep voice rang out over the group.

“FRAG YOU!” She screamed back, Megatron’s glowing sword in her servos as she faced him.

Megatronus frowned, “You are trembling, my love.”

“I HATE YOU!” Solus scream, racing at the larger mech. He continued to frown as he met her swings with his own.

The group broke as the two Primes began to battle. Solus screaming as she twisted and twirled around the hulking mass of her bonded.

Megatronus, deflected his love’s strikes easily, his blade matching every stroke, “My love where is your mighty forge? You fight me with this pathetic little tool.”

She snarled at him, “Your _creation_ DESTROYED IT! YOU DESTROYED PRIMUS, You destroyed our chance to restore CYBERTRON, YOU DESTROY EVERYTHING! EVEN MEEEE!”

The Fallen frowned deeper, “I Never meant to destroy you Solus! I told you THIS! I LOVE YOU!”

“LIES! EVERYTHING YOU SPOUT IS FALSE!” Solus screamed as she swung at him once more, her vents were ragged, and her spark in tatters.

The sky suddenly opened above them, lighting slashing across the clouds as rain began to pour over the desert. The two Prime’s continued to battle as the world flashed around them!

Suddenly there was a mighty roar, and both Solus and Megatronus stopped their fight to look up as Orion flew at them from the chaotic sky.

Solus gasped at the haunting visage the youngest Prime now adorned, his great frame glowing madly in the darkness.

“YOU HAVE DESTROYED HIM!” Solus cried her optics growing wide as she realized Orion was not slowing his descent!

“Does he plan on attacking you as well?” Megatronus growled out, placing his frame before the femme.

“NO! He wouldn’t do that! Orion is…” Solus began, yet as she watched her fellow Prime scream as he approached, she felt her spark clench in uncertainty.

The Fallen growled deeper as he lifted his servo, rain pouring off of his heated frame as he pushed his power out at the younger Prime.

Orion felt the air blast against him, yet had been waiting for it, and tucked his long wings in, his own momentum begin too great to be affected any more than just slowing down!

Megatronus bellowed as he grabbed Solus roughly, and bounded out of the smaller Prime’s path just as Orion hit the ground!

The glowing mech _slammed_ into the earth, the force of his landing sending a ripple of power out around him, effectively knocking the surrounding bots to the ground! The earth shuddered under him, muddy sand exploding upwards around his frame yet, he did not pause after he landed! Instead, he instantly coiled his pistons and threw himself after Megatronus, bursting through the cascading sands like a demon!

Bumblebee screeched as Orion flew over him, his optics wide with terror at what his Prime had become!

The Fallen threw Solus aside as he raised his blade just in time to catch the mad Prime’s own against it!

“Leave SOLUS OUT OF THIS!” Megatronus screamed, his frame heaving with the effort of keeping the younger Prime’s blades away from his frame.

Orion growled viciously as he pushed against the larger mech. “SO YOUR MATE MAY LIVE, AND MINE IS DISPOSABLE!?”

The smaller mech suddenly spun, Megatronus falling forwards at the sudden release of the other mech’s force. Orion roared as he brought his right blade back, before immediately pushing it forwards, its blade digging deeply into the lower plates of the larger Prime’s back.

“ARRRRRRRRGH!” Megatronus screamed out as Orion ripped the blade back just as quickly, the other’s energon splattering against his frame, just to be washed away from the heavy rains.

The Fallen spun on the smaller mech, bringing his blade upwards. He managed to catch the other’s helm just enough to produce a shallow gash across one of the smaller mech’s right optic.

Orion stumbled back, wiping the energon from his bleeding optic. He growled darkly as he realized that though the cut hadn’t been too deep, it had cut in enough to blind that optic, leaving only his purple optic functioning, and him at a far greater disadvantage.

Megatronus took opportunity of the smaller mech’s need of recovery, tackling the smaller Prime viciously! The two crashed down into the mud underneath them, Orion roaring as one of his wings twisted wretchedly underneath his frame.

The Fallen slammed his fist into the pinned mech’s cracked optic.

“UUUUUGH!” Orion cried out, his left blade swinging wildly until it found purchase against the larger mech’s right side, slicing into the larger mech’s plates weakly.

Megatronus snarled, his optics falling to the smaller mech’s earlier injury before slamming his fist into it! The wound had amazingly begun to close already, yet as his fist connected, the terrible gash reopened, and fresh energon burst forth!

“ARRRRRRG!” The younger Prime writhed under him, pain bleeding through his frame.

Orion was about to blast the other Prime off of his frame when he suddenly felt the larger mech slam his fist into the wound again, yet this time, he did not pull back! No, instead the Fallen dug his servo deep into the wound clawing wretchedly into his chassis!

“AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGH!” Orion moaned raggedly, his tanks roiling as pure agony rippled through him!

“You may have power little GOD, but you still have no idea how to use it properly!” Megatronus opened his fist inside the smaller Prime, smiling wickedly as the youngest Prime’s optics rolled back in his helm and whimpered weakly.

Suddenly the Fallen saw a flash of silver, and barely had time to brace himself as Megatron _slammed_ into his side!

The two mechs went flying into the wet sands beside Orion, the dark Prime’s servo ripping violently from the smaller mech’s wound with a sickening slurp!

Orion turned to his side dizzily, the fire in his chassis being too much to handle, and he vomited. Energon from their earlier picnic spilling out as his one working optic watched his mate attack the larger Prime.

Megatron crunched his fist into Megatronus’s back, right where the fragger had been stabbed by Orion. “HOW DO YOU LIKE IT!? YOU PIECE OF SLAG!”

Suddenly Strike ran up beside her Lord, and immediately began hacking at the Fallen’s wrist! “You sick FRAGGER!”

Lugnut followed suit as Megatron continued to pummel into the wretched Prime’s stab wound! “HIS OTHER WRIST LUGNUT! CUT THE ACCURSED THING OFF!” Megatron yelled as he felt the hulking mech thrash under him!

Knockout ran forwards, his circular saw at the ready, “Watch out Strika, I will saw through it!”

Bumblebee and Predaking ran forwards holding the raging mech’s arms down as the two Decepticons hacked at the limbs.

Megatronus ROARED, he tried to buck the silver mech off of him, but between his earlier battle with the mad Prime, Megatron’s fist slamming into his back’s wound, and his wrists being agonizingly hacked into, he was losing energy fast! With one last burst of energy, he concentrated what power he had all around his frame, his plates vibrating with its force, before releasing it wildly!

All the bots around him were flung backwards violently from the blast!

Megatron groaned as he slammed into the soaked desert once more. He wearily pulled his frame up, his flickering optics falling to the still prone Megatronus.

The silver mech heard a broken whimper and he looked over to find Solus wrapped into a ball next to him. The femme was trembling horribly, and his optics widened as he realized she could feel a portion of every attack her mate did! Just as she would feel any attack on his spark.

**_If we kill him, we could kill her!_ **

He may not like the femme much, but she didn’t deserve to die like that, not inadvertently from them! He heard another groan to his left, and looked over to where Orion was weakly picking himself up off the ground. His mate’s frame was a mess of mud, energon, and those terrible wretched lines.

Orion vented raggedly, his frame shaking as he stumbled towards the wretched Prime. He growled darkly, his vents puffing white through the downpour as he lifted his muddy blade.

A wicked smile spread across the younger Prime’s faceplates, and the Fallen could only watch him approach, the last blast of power having weakened him considerably.

Megatron grunted as he tried to lift up his aching frame, “Orion, NO! We can’t kill him! He is bonded to Solus!”

The silver mech’s wild vents froze as his love turned towards him. Orion’s  chassis was completely covered in the glowing purple lines, some now going down his right leg, and as alarming as that was, it was the look in Orion’s one working optic that stilled the former warlord. His love looked at him with no recognition, his optic flickering with a predatory hunger behind it.

“Primus… Orion, how far have you fallen from me?” Megatron whispered brokenly. Orion stared at him a moment more before continuing his path towards his prize.

Megatron’s spark fell as he realized his love was still going to kill the Prime! “Orion, NO! STOP!” He picked his frame up fully and ran to his love.

“NO, LORD MEGATRON!” Strika called out, her optics fearful as she watched her leader rush towards his insane mate! She too lifted her frame up, and ran towards the silver mech.

“Stay where you are STRIKA!” Megatron roared over the storm.

The femme gritted her denta, but followed her Lord’s order.

Megatron slowly approached his mate, his spark thundering in terror as he did so. “No one approach him! Call a bridge and get to the NEMESIS! Predaking, Strika, grab the Fallen Prime! We have no choice but to bring him on board.”

Orion watched the silver mech as he neared, his purple optic never leaving his mate.

“Orion love, we need to go home. I need you to come back to me now, alright? Please my love, Soundwave needs us right now.” Megatron’s voice was gentle, but he still had to yell over the freakish storm that raged around them.

Orion’s optics flickered slightly, “Soundwave…?”                       

“Yes love. He is badly hurt, he needs our help. Please love, please come back to me, to us. The Fallen is beaten for now. You don’t need to fight anymore. If we did it could hurt Solus.”

Orion vented deeply, his frame stumbling back a bit, and Megatron felt his love’s field flair with uncertainty. “Solus?”

Megatron felt his own spark clench painfully in his chassis, “Yes love, Megatronus is bonded to her remember? Megatronus is down, we _don’t_ need to _hurt_ them both _further_. Please love, you are not like this, please come back from this darkness.”

The white mech stumbled back further, his purple optic widening at what Megatron was saying. “I… ” He turned his helm towards the moaning Solus and he gasped. “I never meant to…”

“I know, my love. None of us did, yet we needed to stop him, and we have… for now. We don’t need to push it any further today.”

Orion nodded weakly, his optic full of confusion, and shame.

Suddenly the crackle of a ground bridge sounded, and the blessed tunnel opened nearby.

“Come mechs, let’s get back to the Nemesis,” Megatron called out, luckily the storm seemed to be easing, and that gave the silver mech hope for his love as the two seemed to be connected.

Predaking, and Strika moved forward, a sad smile on his faceplates, and apprehension on her’s as they hefted Megatronus up, the Prime had apparently fallen to stasis from his wounds.

“Knockout, bring Solus please.” The silver mech asked, his servo rubbing along his faceplates as exhaustion tore through his frame.

The medic moved up next to his leader, his processor reeling from everything, “Perhaps I should stay with Orion my lord. His wound is…”

Megatron shook his helm, “I will get him to the med bay Knockout, but I think he needs a moment.”

The red mech nodded as he moved to the whimpering femme, **_Oh Ratchet… whatever Orion is becoming is going to kill you… I am so sorry._**

All of the bots headed towards the bridge quietly, each of them watching the Prime warily as they moved.

Orion shivered, his frame still in terrible pain, yet the agony in his spark hurt most of all. **_I almost killed Megatronus… almost killed Solus… and… I didn’t care. I wanted to kill him… I lusted for it._**

“Orion, come love, let us check on Soundwave, and get you looked at.” Megatron moved to help his love walk but Orion moved away from him.

“I can do it, Megatron.” He said quietly. He transformed his servos, one falling to his gaping wound as he stumbled after the other mechs.

Megatron hesitated just a moment, yet as Orion began to moan, his steps becoming slower, the silver mech ran up to him, and scooped the smaller mech up gently.

Orion groaned, wanting to struggle against the larger mech, but he found himself far too weak.

Megatron exited the bridge, his spark cold in his chassis as he made his way to the med bay. His mate lay silently within his arms, his optics dim with pain, and misery.

The silver mech was glad that the storm seemed to have passed, but Orion’s frame had yet to recover from the jagged lines and they blazed angrily as he held him.

As they neared the med bay, both mechs were startled by the chaotic sounds inside. Megatron held onto Orion tighter as they made it to the door.

Ratchet, Arcee, and now Knockout were working franticly over Soundwave’s inert frame. Ratchet was wrist deep in Soundwave’s chest as Arcee ran around the med bay grabbing whatever tool Ratchet yelled out for. Knockout was monitoring the screens before him, having placed Solus down on another free berth to rest.

“Soundwave…” Orion moaned out, his voice pulling Ratchet from his work for a moment. The older medic looked up quickly to find Megatron and Orion in the doorway. When his optics fell to Orion’s tainted frame he gasped in horror. “PRIMUS! ORION!?”

The Prime looked away from his Sire shamefully.

“Put.. put him on the third berth Megatron. Arcee can help him in a klik.” The medic said fearfully, his terrified optics returning to Soundwave.

Megatron nodded as he moved carefully to the berth and gently laid his mate down. Both mechs watched the chaos before them, their sparks burning anxiously.

“Arcee, I need those new lines!” Ratchet barked out, his processor ignoring the frightening sight of Orion as he struggled to keep Soundwave online.

The mech was in terrible shape. The blade hadn’t hit his spark _directly_ , but it definitely nudged along the side of it, fracturing a good portion of the energy flow there thus creating an imbalance of surges.

It was akin to a human heart attack, and if he couldn’t right the flow, Soundwave was going to die… and soon.

Arcee ran towards the medic, various tubes in her servo. “Good, good place them there and give me a caliber three, and five.” Ratchet said as he worked the soldering iron along the severed lines that he had already replaced.

Knockout suddenly gasped, “A JUMP!”

Ratchet almost didn’t get his servos away fast enough as a surge of energy spiked through the darker mech’s frame! The excess energy rippled through Soundwave causing his vocalizer to glitch, sporadic and awful screeching filling the room as he arched off the berth!

Orion felt his spark seize as he watched his love writhe before him. **_SOUNDWAVE! NOOOO!_**

When the jump finally ceased, Soundwave fell back to the berth with a hollow sounding thud. “SLAG IT!” Ratchet screamed, looking down into the mech’s spark chamber. “ALL THOSE FRAGGING LINES! They are all melted to SCRAP!”

Arcee ran back to one of the drawers, “Frag it Ratchet! We don’t have any more number four calipers!”

“GET ME A FIVE! I will just use extra solder!” The mech cried to her, his helm shaking as he began ripping out the ruined lines.

Megatron moaned as he watched, his spark hammering in his chassis. **_That filthy fragging MONSTER! Maybe I should have allowed Orion to destroy him!_**

“I might be able to help,” Orion whispered suddenly.

Megatron looked at his love uncertainty fleeting through his optics, “What Orion?”

“I… I might be able to help, like I did with you!” Orion began pushing himself off the berth but Megatron immediately grabbed him.

Megatron looked down at him, his optics worried, “Orion, I don’t think… transferring your energy right now… the way it is.”

Orion blinked at him, his optic following his mate’s to the jagged lines across his chassis. He growled, “Megatron, I won’t transfer my taint! I didn’t with you!”

The silver mech looked at him sadly, “Yes, but then you were far less…”

“WHAT!? TAINTED!? I can do this Megatron! I know I can! Soundwave is _dying_!”

“JUMP!” Knockout yelled again, further proving Orion’s words.

Ratchet screamed as a bit of the surge connected with him as he tried to lift his servo in time! “FRAG IT!” He snapped, shaking his servo for a moment.

Orion looked desperately at his mate, “Let me do this!”

Megatron growled, “Frag it, Orion! I don’t think that is a… a good idea! Not with, with your energy like this!”

The Prime looked at his love incredulously, his spark thundering in his chassis. **_Soundwave is dying, and Megatron doesn’t trust ME enough to try and save HIM!?_**

Orion snarled, “I KNOW I CAN DO THIS!” He pushed the silver mech’s arm off of him roughly as he jumped off the berth. He was amazed that his legs could hold him as he stomped over to the trio of bots.

Arcee looked at him fearfully, “Orion… what are you…?”

“I can save him!” Orion said forcefully.

Ratchet looked up from his patient, “Orion, go lay down! You are bleeding energon everywhere!”

“I CAN SAVE HIM!” Orion yelled.

“JUMP!” Knockout called, and Ratchet swore as he ripped his servos from the darker mech. This surge seemed far worse than the other two as was evident not only from Soundwave’s broken screeching, but the smoke that came from his chest plates!

“SLAG IT ALL!” Ratchet screamed as he watched all of his lines near disintegrate before him.

“MOVE, I _CAN_ SAVE HIM!” Orion pressed past the gapping Arcee.

Ratchet growled at him, “Absolutely not, Orion! Not when your energy is… is… Do you really want to risk infecting HIM TOO!?”

The Prime felt his spark clench at his Sire’s words. **_They all think I am just this infected thing…_**

“I won’t transfer it Ratchet! I remember what it feels like! I can do this… please?” Orion tried to sound neutral, unaffected, and patient.

Ratchet shook his helm, “No, Orion. Now go lay down!”

The white mech felt his servos begin to fist as he tried to hold his own injury closed, “I can…”

“I SAID NO! The last thing we need is another TAINTED BOT RUNNING AROUND!”

Orion flinched at the words, “I CAN SAVE HIM!”

Ratchet roared as he slammed his servos on Soundwave’s berth, “DO YOU WANT TO TURN HIM INTO A MONSTER ORION!?”

The room was suddenly silent, all of the bots staring between the two mechs.

Ratchet groaned miserably,” I … I didn’t mean…”

Orion growled, his spark breaking inside of him, “Do _none_ of you trust me?”

He looked at the bots around him, yet each of them kept their helms down, or optics turned away. **_None of them… not even Megatron…not even my mate…_**

His frame trembled half with pain, the other… despair, despair, and a growing sense of betrayal.

He snarled at the bots around him before turning back to Ratchet, “Get out of the way.” His voice was very low, and deadly serious.

Ratchet blanched at the younger mech, his spark whirling in his chassis. “No…”

The raging Prime stepped in closer to his _Sire_ , “Move Ratchet, or _be_ moved.”

“Orion! Stop this!” Megatron’s voice filtered through his audials, yet he ignored his mate.

“Jump!” Knockout said nervously, poor Soundwave’s frame arching off the berth once more as the energy wracked through his frame.

As the screeching, and trembling stopped Orion made a choice, a desperate, hard choice.

He lunged forwards suddenly, taking Ratchet by the shoulders and threw him aside! The older mech yelled as he crashed into Knockout’s desk!

The red medic stared at Ratchet’s inert frame for a moment in confusion before he yelled out, and ran towards the other medic.

Orion quickly turned and thrust his servos into Soundwave’s spark chamber. He gently wrapped around the fragile spark, letting his energy start to flow.

“ORION!! WE SAID NO!” Megatron’s voice boomed through the room as he and Arcee ran towards the Prime!

The white mech sobbed brokenly at his mate’s mistrust as he desperately let a pulse of his energy fill him. “Stay back, PLEEEEASE!” He begged wretchedly at the two of them, yet neither stopped their approach!

 His optics dripping coolant freely, and frame hitching, he released the reserved power directly at Arcee, and Megatron!

Both bots were immediately thrown backwards, crashing into things Orion couldn’t see as he returned his focus on his love. He pushed his energy out as fast as he could without overwhelming the dying mech, fearing another advance from the mechs around him!

The Prime focused only on the good, pure light within him, and gave it all to Soundwave.   ** _There my love, I knew it, I can do this! There you are!_**

Orion marveled as he realized, not only was he helping to sort out the chaotic energy current flowing through his love, but slowly all the damage along the lithe mech’s frame was beginning to rebuild itself! **_YES! Yes, love!_**

“ORION!” Megatron’s vengeful voice broke through his sense of joy, and Orion increased his energy flow desperately! **_Just a little more! Just a little!_**

He sobbed as he finally felt Soundwave’s systems reconnect, and a beautiful stream of healthy, controlled energy began to flow through the unconscious mech! He pulled his servos away to see his love’s stunning blue spark shimmer back at him!

**_OH SOUNDWAVE! YES, I DID IT! You are safe no…_ **

_PURE AGONY_ tore through his frame as something suddenly electrocuted him from behind!

“ARRRRRRRGH!” His entire frame seized as he fell back, his body crashing to the floor as it jerked wildly around him!

Just as he felt the electricity ease, another terrible bout began, only this time he could see why. Arcee stood over him, the two defibrillators in her servos as she pressed them against his chassis once more.

“NooOOOOO PLEAARRRRRGH!” Orion screamed again! His frame arching as the electricity crackled violently through him! He could hear other mechs screaming as his vision filled with static, his wound spurting energon as he shook. Finally the agony eased, and he lay there moaning wretchedly, coolant flowing from his optics as he jerked.

As darkness filled his vision the Prime felt his spark shatter within him as he thought of everything that had led him to this point.

**_They don’t trust me… no one trusts me anymore…I am a monster to them…TAINTED… even, even to Megatron… I feel so alone…_ **

Orion vented weakly, as his processor finally began to  succumb to the bliss of stasis, yet right before his last shred of consciousness drifted away, he heard that wonderfully deep, gentle voice.

_I trust you young one, and am here for you. You do not need to be alone any longer… Let me give you peace… Let me help you…_

**_Please… yes… please… help me…help me…_ **

_Always young one… Rest for now young one, and then come find me…_

_I will show you the way…_

**_Thank you… I will… I will find you… my savior…_ **


	30. Change of Sparks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is part one of this chapter... I had to break it up cause bunches of stuff. Hope it is still good even though it is broken up. Umm, sorry for errors... and enjoy!

“Are you MAD FEMME!?” Megatron’s voice roared through the med bay.

“HE ATTACKED RATCHET! What was I supposed to DO!?” Arcee sobbed out, throwing the defibrillator pads away from her miserably. “I am sorry! I Never, ever wanted to… to…”

Ratchet groaned as he sat up, “I know Arcee, I know… Knockout, check Soundwave.”

The red mech shook his helm as he shambled over to the darker mech, his optics wide, and pointed at Orion’s unconscious form.  He was about to look over at the scanners when his optics fell to Soundwave’s pristine frame.

“Holy frag, he did it…” Knockout whispered, his optics looking over the darker mech’s spark chamber as well. “He did it!”

Ratchet moaned, “Did what?” He pushed himself up to look at what Knockout was seeing. There he found a completely restored Soundwave, his spark glowing healthily, and frame gleaming, frag even some of the older scars were gone.

Ratchet felt his spark fill with terrible overwhelming guilt, and he looked over at the twitching Prime. “We still don’t know if any of the dark energy was transferred. We need to get Shockwave in here. Megatron, put Orion on the berth, he is bleeding out.” His voice was gruff and quiet.

The silver mech nodded grimly, his optics passing over Soundwave’s frame as he picked up the twitching mech. Though unconscious, Orion’s frame hadn’t stopped jerking from the electrical currents that had run through him. **_Fraggin femme just hit him with some random setting…_**

He gently placed Orion back on his original berth, Ratchet coming up from behind him. “Soundwave looks stable Knockout, I am going to try and start on Orion’s repairs.”

The medic rubbed at his aching helm as he looked down at his Prime sadly. “Arcee, I need you here with me.”

The femme groaned miserably as she stood, her optics pointedly avoiding Megatron’s when she moved to the other side of Orion’s berth. The silver mech was fairly certain he saw her wipe at some coolant before she got started on his love.

“I do not blame you femme.” Megatron said quietly. “Orion has asked for us to protect others from… from himself. We all weren’t, weren’t certain… I wasn’t certain…” He grew quiet, his spark heavy with guilt, and exhaustion. **_Perhaps we were wrong, yet if Orion has transferred the dark energy, he will never forgive himself… and I would never forgive myself for not keeping that dreadful promise to him, or allowing Soundwave to be hurt by him… I just… all of this is such a nightmare, and I don’t know what to do…_**

Megatron rubbed his helm as he thought of what he had felt from his love on the battlefield. How Orion had almost lost himself to the darkness, how he had lusted for the other Prime’s energon so powerfully that he almost disregarded an innocent’s life… to take it. “I owe you an apology as well Ratchet. Perhaps Orion is… in need of more help, than I realized.”

Ratchet looked up to Megatron’s worn faceplates, “What happened out there, Megatron?”

The silver mech went to the berth next to Orion’s and sat down heavily. He rubbed at his helm harder as Arcee, and Ratchet began working on Orion’s chassis. “I don’t know medic, yet for a moment I thought... I _almost_ thought, that he was going to be lost to us, forever.”

The smaller mech looked up from his patient, his optics dim as he scanned over Megatron’s huddled form. “Did he do anything that… that he will regret Megatron?”

The silver mech vented despairingly, “No, no he didn’t…. I stopped him before it got to that point. He did almost offline the Fallen Prime… That by itself, I wouldn’t have necessarily disagreed with...”

“Optimus would have…” Ratchet interrupted as he turned back to his work.

Megatron rolled his optics, “Perhaps. He has always been too soft sparked for this war, yet my concern didn’t grow until after that. It was after I screamed at him, reminded him of the possibility of losing Solus as well, and he… he didn’t stop, didn’t seem to care… that was what scared me.”

The former warlord looked up at the medic, his pause causing the older mech to look back at him, his optics narrowed in concern. “When he looked at me Ratchet, I didn’t see Orion. I don’t know what I saw, but it was dark, it was hateful, and it was hungry for energon. I stopped him today, yes… yet, will I be able to next time? I have no answer for that, and that terrifies me, Ratchet. It _fragging_ terrifies me! I don’t… I don’t know what is happening to him! This can’t happen to him… not to him. He is the best of us. He has always, _ALWAYS_ BEEN SO! HE DOSEN’T DESERVE THIS! He doesn’t even realize what he is doing… and I don’t know if I can… if I can save him from this.” He groaned as he held his helm, his spark in tatters.

The bots in the med bay were all silent, only the ragged vents of their Prime were heard, and the intermittent beeping of machinery.

“I can’t help but wonder… if this is my penance, if there is such a thing as divine punishment. Is he suffering because of me, what I did? Although, ha… when has there been a time that him being near me has _not_ brought him pain? I honestly cannot think of any… ” The silver mech whispered behind his clawed servos, his exhausted frame falling back on the berth as he laid himself down.

Ratchet looked between the two leaders, his spark heavy with memories, and fears. “I don’t know if it is just you Megatron. In so many ways it seems Orion _was_ made to just be a tool. Never meant to mean anything to any mech, just observe from the outside, never find friendship, or love…  A tool or key, sent out before everything went to slag, just to observe his creations, his charges, until he was finally needed for whatever needed fixing, or whatever lock he needed to open. Whenever or however they needed to be attended to.”

The medic sighed as he began his welding once more, his processor whirling. He smiled sadly and shook his helm, “You know Megatron, I don’t think Primus ever foresaw Orion falling in love with you, and _that_ may be why it is has always been so hard for the two of you.”

The silver mech pulled his servos from his helm, and looked at the medic skeptically, “What do you mean medic?”

“Well, if Orion’s path was meant to be just an empty, observatory one, just imagine how much fate you two needed to push out of the way to fall in love? Slag, to even find that possibility that… whisper of love in each other was so far from where you both began!? A slave from Kaon, and a reclusive shut in from Iacon, and yet you found each other, and, and not just once but TWICE! The second time, being after a millennia of war, still he loved _you_! I mean, again we are talking about forces none of us even know exist for certain, but I do know Orion has had some truly… unexplainable things happen to him.”

The medic smiled wider then, and he turned to the larger mech, his optics soft, “Orion may be dripping with prophecy Megatron, but if there is one mech that can uproot his path, or find some divergence therein, it will be you. He may be the failsafe, the key to Cybertron’s return, but evidently even that wasn’t a wholly perfect guarantee. What was meant to be just a tool has grown to have weaknesses, hopes, and needs… and it has, because of you. Now… _nothing_ is certain, and his destiny could lead down many different paths.”

Ratchet vented, his optics falling to Orion, “You may not have done everything right, and yes, you have hurt him… but don’t forget the life you have given him as well, Megatron. Without you he would have become a Prime regardless, without you he would have come to this juncture as well, yet at least he got to love along the way. He got to have some happy moments, some hopes, and dreams for himself, not for gods, or Primes, or fate… just for him. Perhaps he is the best of us because of what _you_ have given him, and I have no doubts that even with all of the slag going on now, that you will be the one to find him through that darkness better than any of us.”

Megatron was silent for a moment, his processor going over everything the medic had said. “Ratchet, in all of that you have forgotten two very important, and equally to blame mechs. You and Soundwave are just as much responsible for building him into more than just a tool as I am.”

The medic scoffed, “Pffft, Lord Megatron being modest, perhaps the end of the universe really is upon us.” Megatron looked at him flatly and Ratchet laughed.

“You aren’t entirely wrong, Megatron. I believe I did help nudge the door open to Orion becoming more than he was intended for… in his early vorns, and Soundwave has indeed helped open that door further yet, it has been his love of _you_ that has _kept_ it open, through all odds. Soundwave and I feed off of the life, the love you have inspired within Orion; we are but a part of the whole, the bond... that is you and Orion. I will tell ya Megatron, medically speaking... I have never, ever witnessed a bond as strong as yours, and Orion's.”

Ratchet laughed lightly, his smile growing, “That said Megatron, don’t think that what is happening now is _all_ your fault, that is just blatantly arrogant. Like I said, all of this would have probably happened anyways, maybe not exactly the same, but as Trion used to say… his destiny has been written long before his creation. Pit Megatron, _without_ you, he probably would have just remained that prophesized tool. An unknown mech, with no true understanding of the creatures he would need to be a God to one day. I mean look at Solus’s interaction with us… She is cold, and does not understand us at all.”

Megatron snorted, “Indeed, and is terribly arrogant as well.”

Ratchet looked at him flatly, “Her arrogance rivals your own, kid.”

Megatron rolled his optics at the older mech as Ratchet continued. “ _Anyways_ , that he is _more_ than that… may just help him get through all of this. The fact that he has not only learned of his creations, and fought for them, but  become a _true_ part of them, will hopefully not just give him strength to fight this, but _us_ the strength, and loyalty to fight for him! Far more so than we ever would have for just some emotionless, unconnected mech. He has laughed with us, danced with us, mourned with us, cried for us, loved us… and I truly believe that connection is due to you. Just look what happened when he became a Prime.”

The medic lowered his helm, his optics growing dim, “You weren’t there Megatron, but I saw Orion fade, and it wasn’t just because of the loss of memories. It was because of the loss of _you_ , his bonded. He wasn’t warm any longer, he didn’t laugh… not really, he didn’t have dreams, he was… he _was_ that _tool_! He focused on living for every mech around him, except himself. He was so fragging reckless with his life that I sometimes thought he was _trying_ to die, and the only reason he didn’t, was so that he could come back and fulfill his _duties_ one more day.”

Megatron sat up as he listened to the medic, his optics falling to Orion’s inert form. He thought of the data stick he had found, and how many entries left the Prime with hating himself for caring too much, and yet never being able to show it. He had thought he needed to be perfect, lead by example, always be the rock, even as he shattered quietly within.

“We were wrong tonight… and I feel awful for it, yet I know in my spark we were all trying to spare Orion the horror if he really did hurt Soundwave, or us.” Ratchet continued, his servos shaking slightly. “I don’t know what to do either Megatron, but if there is any mech that can help him now, it is you… and Soundwave of course, but mostly you. You alone know what is going on inside of him, at a spark level. That is deeper than any other mech, or creature in this cursed universe.”

Megatron nodded silently, his spark aching from all that had occurred that day. He thought of how everything had started off with such hope, and laughter, and now both members of his trine were lying on berths in the med bay. Orion had almost lost himself on the battlefield, and had been put in stasis violently from his own companions because… because no one knew what to expect from him now…

Ratchet placed the welder down, his optics scanning over the other wounds the younger mech had. “Listen Megatron, go get some rest. I will give Orion a sedative so he won’t wake for a while… He needs the rest, and I know we all do too. I don’t know how he will be when he wakes, but I imagine what happened tonight is going to weigh heavily on him. I know it weighs heavily on us.”

Megatron nodded once more, his optics going from Orion’s frame, to Soundwave. “I think I will rest here tonight Ratchet, it will be too cold in my berth, and I want to keep an optic on them both.”

The medic smiled gently, “I understand.”

“I do however need to have a meeting before that. We have an insane, and very dangerous Prime on the ship, and I don’t know how long we can keep him controlled. Do you think you could place him stasis, and keep him there, Ratchet?” Megatron pulled himself from the berth, his aching frame protesting with every step.

“Used to work with Optimus when he had the Matrix, so… yeah I imagine so. I will use a strong dose for him.” Ratchet couldn’t help but flinch inwardly as he realized he would be using the same dose on Orion as well.

“Alright, I would appreciate if you took care of him first. The last thing we need is for Megatronus to wake up in a rage. He has some wounds as well, but I would prefer that you don’t tend to them… yet.” Megatron growled at the thought of healing the filthy fragger that almost took his trine members from him.

Ratchet nodded, “Normally I would protest, yet I think I agree. I will finish with Orion once I am done.”

Megatron rubbed his back plates as he moved to Orion’s side, he brought his other servo out to lightly caress his mate’s helm as Ratchet and the other’s left the med bay.

“I am so sorry, my love. I failed you tonight. Here I have been, fighting so that every mech remembers that you are in there, that you are not broken, and when you ask me to trust you I… I…” Megatron found the words stuck painfully in his vocalizer, his spark burning with shame, and fear. “I was scared Orion. I _am_ scared. I don’t know what to do, my love.  I… I am not so strong… not without both of you.” Megatron brought his servo to his helm once more. He wanted to break, he wanted to fall to the floor and scream until his vocalizer sputtered and shattered, but he couldn’t… he had to be strong, for both of them, for all of them.

He suddenly found himself smiling bitterly… **_Is this what you always feel like Orion? How do you handle it my love? If only you could open those beautiful optics, and give me the secret of your wonders…_**

“I hope you find it in your spark to forgive me, to forgive all of us. We can be stronger, I promise you… please… I am so… so… f..f.fraggin s..s.sorry…” Megatron keened as he crushed his servo into his burning optics. “Arrrrrgh! I hate myself Orion! I HATE MYSELF! ARRRRRGH!”

“Megatron?”

The silver mech spun around, his frame immediately ready to pounce on whomever interrupted him, yet he merely blinked as his optics fell to Solus’s little frame, and sad optics.

He growled as he angrily wiped at the coolant that had fallen from his optics. “What do you want femme!?”

The little Prime looked at him a moment more before cautiously picking herself up off the berth, and walked over to the former warlord.

He glared at her as she approached, “I warn you femme, be careful what you say right now because I am in no mood to…” He froze suddenly as he felt her little, but strong arms wrap around his waist.

“I am sorry…” she whispered quietly against him.

Megatron stared down at her, his optics wide in confusion, and maybe fear, “Wh…what?”

She lifted her helm, her own optics glistening with coolant, “I am sorry… I am sorry for everything that has happened to your love… I wish, I wish I knew a way to fix him. I am sorry for what Megatronus did to him, I am sorry for being so stubborn, and cruel… I am sorry I have failed you, all of you as a Prime.”

The silver mech looked down at her, he hardly dared to vent. Here was Solus, angry, wretched, arrogant Solus… asking for forgiveness?

The small femme held him tighter as she lowered her helm, “I never knew… I never knew how incredible you all could be. How complicated, loving, supportive… and lost you all could be. Perhaps I knew once, yet that was far too long ago, and I am furious with myself, and the other Prime’s for having forgotten it, forgotten all of you… well, perhaps not Trion, but he is… I just, I want to say, that Orion is the best of us. He is. If any mech were to deserve the power of Primus, it would be Orion… I realize that now. In fact, I think I realized it soon after I arrived, I was just too… jaded to see.”

Megatron continued to gape at the small Prime, uncertain what to say or do.

Solus pulled back finally, his little servo wiping the coolant from her faceplates as she did so. She looked up the stunned mech and smiled sadly, “Thank you… thank you for what you did today.”

Megatron frowned, as he felt a failure for most the day, he had no idea what she was speaking of until he suddenly realized she thought he saved her. “Solus… I am not so kind. I was merely stopping Orion from killing Megatronus so that he didn’t hate himself for inadvertently killing you.” He grumbled darkly, his optics turning from her.

Solus smiled, “So, if it weren’t for Orion, you would have gone through with it?”

Megatron thought a moment on her words. Certainly before all of this chaos, before he met with Optimus that fateful night, he would have not thought twice about the little Prime’s spark going out with her mate’s. He wouldn’t have even blinked; it would have been far easier to extinguish two sparks for the effort of one… and now?

“I don’t know…” He said gruffly.

“Hmmm,” She hummed thoughtfully, “Maybe monsters can change…”

Megatron looked at her then, the way she sounded was a little too hopeful he thought. “Perhaps Solus… yet not all.”

She nodded quietly in response, her faceplates contemplative.

Megatron groaned inwardly, and he almost felt bad for her.... almost. “Come Solus, we need to address everyone about what happened, and what is to happen now.”

He looked back at Orion one last time before making his way to the med bay’s doors. He did stop to look at Soundwave. His friend’s spark chamber was still opened, and he reached over to close it gently.

“He is fixed!” Solus exclaimed, a smile gracing her faceplates. “How!?”

Megatron smiled sadly, “The wonder of Orion…”

He vented deeply, the ache of guilt still tugging at him wretchedly as he made his way towards the repaired war room, Solus following silently behind him.

…………………………..

Orion swam in a haze of warmth yet slowly he felt himself being pulled from the darkness.

_It is time to wake young one._

Groaning Orion felt pain begin to replace the wondrous warmth that had once held him. He felt sluggish, and still exhausted as his optics finally filtered through the static of recharge… or was it stasis he had fallen into?

His blurry optics scanned around him to find himself in the Nemesis’s med bay. **_What? Why am I here? Last thing I remember is…_**

EVERYTHING from the day suddenly washed over him in a chaotic wave and he moaned miserably.

“Ohhhhhhh… Arrrrrgh!” Orion whimpered as he recalled the battle, and then what had happened once he made it to the med bay, he thought of everything Ratchet had said, and how no mech had believed in him… not even Megatron. Then he remembered how Arcee had SHOCKED him into STASIS!?

“ARRRRRRGH!” He grabbed at his helm, his torso burning, not only from the shocks, but the wretched wound Megatronus had given him.

_Do not fear young one. I shall repair your frame, and you shall be stronger than ever before…_

That wonderful, deep, welcoming voice filtered through him once more, and he sobbed with its assurance.

_Let go… I shall lead you to me… let me in young one…_

**_Thank you… my friend… thank you._ **

Orion felt himself slip back into the warmth of oblivion, as his savior took over him…

**_Everything will be better soon Megatron… even me… I love you. I love all of you… I will fix this…_ **

**_……………._ **

Ratchet’s spark had frozen as he watched Orion awaken. At first the injured mech had seemed so wretchedly sad, writhing and whimpering yet then…. his frame had become deadly still… and chillingly silent. Pit, even the med bay seemed to grow colder as well.

“Orion… hey kid, you alright?” Ratchet’s worried voice called to the silent mech. He inched forward carefully when suddenly the Prime shifted. Orion groaned brokenly as he lifted his frame from his berth, his pedes shaking under him as he stood.

“Listen kid, you don’t want to be…”

“I am not your _child,_ medic.” Orion’s voice was terribly dark as he snarled at the shorter mech.

Ratchet froze, his spark rising to his throat as terror gripped him. “Or.. Orion? Listen, I was wrong for saying what I said I was just…”

Orion growled darkly at him, his dark purple optic glowing brightly. Ratchet had yet to be able to fix his other optic, but _had_ been able inject him with the stasis serum. The fact that Orion was awake right now was medically impossible, and not only was he awake, but standing.

“I am so sorry, Orion. I love you, and am just scared for you.” Ratchet said quietly. He tried to keep his voice from sounding as nervous as he felt.

“You are scared for yourself _Ratchet_. You don’t trust him any longer _do you_!? You don’t trust your supposed _sparkling_!” Orion bared his long fangs at Ratchet, his stumbling frame moving forwards.

Ratchet vented sharply as he lifted his servos and backed away slowly from his Prime… or what used to be his Prime…

“Orion… please kid, you are scaring me…” Ratchet found his voice coming out in a whimper as he backed up, he quickly, and quietly commed Megatron. **:Megatron, Orion is awake… something is definitely not right. I need help.:**

 **:What the frag, Ratchet!? I thought you put him into stasis!?:** Megatron’s troubled voice commed him back.

**:I DID! With enough juice to take down METROPLEX!:**

Orion lifted his frame to his full height, the movement ripping across the fresh welding done on his chassis.

“ORION!? What are you doing!?” Ratchet exclaimed, his optics bulging as Orion continued to advance towards him, energon freely pouring from his wound once more.

“Leaving.” The dark, terrible voice that slithered from Orion’s intake made Ratchet flinch.

“Like…like frag you are!” Ratchet said weakly, and he placed his frame between Orion and the med bay’s doors.

Orion smirked at him amused, “Do you truly intend to stop me medic?”

“Y..Yes. You are not taking my kid from me!” The smaller mech found his voice growing with his determination. This was definitely _not_ Orion, and there was no fragging way he would let this… this _thing_ walk away with his boy!

“I admire your convictions, yet I have no qualms in ending your short life medic… I will be taking Orion from here. My brother’s spawn and I have business to attend to.” Orion smiled wickedly, his servo rising towards the smaller mech.

Ratchet nearly fainted as he realized just who was talking through Orion. “Unicron…You PIT SPAWN! GET OUT OF ORION! YOU FILTH!”

Unicron laughed deeply, “Strong words for such an insignificant worm.”

Ratchet barely had time to vent as Unicron suddenly lunged at him! He grunted as the larger mech’s clawed servo wrapped around his neck tightly, and _slammed_ him against the wall of the med bay!

The medic gasped as he clawed at the servo strangling him, his spark breaking as he watched Orion’s frame be used in such a way!

Unicron laughed at the terror in the smaller mech’s optics, “Don’t you see mech? Orion _welcomed_ me in, he begged for it, after all of you _betrayed_ him.”

Ratchet tried to vent as his throat began to dent from the other mech’s force, “You… ack…lied..to him.”

“Not at all, mech. I merely let him see some truths. Some wretched, dark truths… and he has such dark truths to discover, doesn’t he?” Unicron licked Orion’s fanged denta wickedly. “It is no wonder such a mech could fall so easily.”

The smaller mech growled, or tried to, “Not…ahh…aaack…fallen.”

“No? Let us test what your _boy_ is capable of, shall we?” With that Unicron transformed Orion’s servo into his blade. “Would he kill his own Sire? Let’s explore that inquiry.”

Ratchet’s optics opened wide with terror, **_Oh Orion, oh my boy! I am so sorry! I forgive you kid… I forgive you!_**

With that terrible, awful thought, Ratchet shuttered his optics as he heard the blade begin to whistle towards his spark chamber.

**_I love you, Orion… I love you so … …_ **

 

 


	31. Darkness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Sorry it has taken so long to update! I started a new story, and also had chaos in life but I am back! This one is... short, yet... heavy. I am sorry I haven't gotten to all the wonderful comments from last chapter, but I am going to try to right after I post this! You guys rock! annnnnd.... don't hate me...  
> p.s. sorry for errors, will fix

“NOOOOOOOOO!” Orion screamed as his arm froze, his blade ceasing its wretched path just as it scratched at the smaller mech’s chest plates.

He grit his denta painfully, his spark and processor blazing with the agony it took to stay in control of his own frame.

Ratchet looked up at the shaking Prime, his wide optics rising to Orion’s blazing purple optic, “O…Orion? Kid? Are…are…”

“ARRRRRRRRRRGH! Rrrrraaat…chhhh….eeeeeet…” The Prime strangled out, his arm pushing forward another inch as the tip of the blade dug into the metal before it.

_You cannot stop what will happen! I will get what I need from you!_

“Yooou a…aaaare a LIAAAAARRRR!” Orion growled out, his frame burning from the inside out.

_You are merely a fool, child of Primus. You let me in sooooo easily because of you are **weak**! I shall take from you what I want, and you cannot stop ME!_

“Whhhaaat…. What doo you… waaant with meeee…?” The Prime moaned as his arm moved further still, Ratchet crying out as the blade slipped deeper into his chest plates.

_The coveted secret of your creation, child of Primus. How my brother was able to take a portion of himself that not only kept his power, but has the ability to restore Cybertron! He did no average spark segmentation, and I shall discover that secret and create my own children. Do not fight this! We could rule together Orion. I will give you Cybertron to rule over, and you will not need to lose your spark to do it! Just give in, submit to me, and give me that SECRET!_

“Noooo, I will… not… let thaaat… ARRRRRGH!” Orion screamed as the fire that burned through his fame flared painfully, his arm shaking as he desperately held his blade at bay.

_YOU WILL! I shall RIP it from YOUR PROCESSOR IF NEED BE! You will not keep this from ME!_

Suddenly Orion’s processor exploded in pure AGONY and he stumbled back, his servo dropping Ratchet as he gripped at his helm.

“AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHH!!!” Orion screamed wretchedly and Ratchet optics bulged and he watched the white mech fall to his knees. The medic held his bleeding chest plates as he moved away from the struggling mech.

“Orion!? Kid, what…” Ratchet asked his spark shattering with Orion’s cries.

_You CANNOT fight me FOREVER, CHILD OF PRIMUS!_

Orion shook as he felt his processor tearing within his helm, **_ARRRRRRGH I will NOT let you ACCESS THIS INFORMATION!_** Yet even as he fought against the hack of his own mind, he could feel Unicron’s power slither into him deeply, the accursed God pulling at the shadows of memories that had haunted him since he had awoken.

“ARRRRRGH!” With each pull into the hidden depths within his processor, each tear, Orion felt himself shatter and grow weaker.

Images were flashing in his processor’s optic, flashes of the war, of pain, love, memories of his life long past, and not so long ago surfacing as Unicron ripped through them. He dug wildly, blasting through the walls the Fallen had created when he hid them all from Orion, and the result was as terrifying as it was glorious!

The Prime remembered all of his team mates, his Autobots, those dead and still with him. He remembered Cybertron, what it once was, what it had become, when he lived there, as both Orion and Optimus.

Orion screamed as he _finally_ remembered Megatron… all of him. The loving nights of comfort, the lost days filled with fear, his confession of love, their first bond, them traveling Cybertron together with the early Decepticons. He saw as Megatron would hold him through his night terrors, yet also he saw their many fights they had, even then.

He saw in full detail how they made their way to Iacon. Saw their last night there, watched as they danced for the first time, and the last time. He remembered their frightened walk to the senate’s building, the protestors, how Senator Proteus lied terribly to him, then used him wretchedly.

He saw their final battle in the central chamber, remembered how he had never wanted the Matrix, yet begged for it to save his family…

 He relived his awakening as Optimus. He saw how Megatron broke when he their bond dissolved. How his love screamed at him, attacked him, and then disappeared for nearly a vorn, just to reappear as suddenly as he left. He remembered their fights along the burning ruins of Cybertron, the constant fighting that seemed endless until… until nothing was left of the planet they called home…

“AHHHHHHH, Arrrrrgh MEGAAAATROOONUUUUS!” Orion screamed, sobbing at the chaos that ripped through him, it was maddening!

Memories of the war flashed before him, the deaths, pain, explosions, dead frames, forgotten bodies. He watched Megatron laugh amongst the flames, Soundwave always at this side.

He watched the world crumble, and felt as each mech did that fateful day, as Primus’s light was finally extinguished and Cybertronians had to flee to the stars.

He heard Unicron laugh as he watched his brother’s spark go out, reveling in his death and the knowledge that it came all because of his own creations.

_Don’t you see, child of Primus!? Do you not see how your species doesn’t deserve to rule over themselves!? It should be us that rules over them!_

_Before I am forced to destroy you, I give you one last chance to join me! Join me, and give me this secret freely, and I shall give you everything you want. Your love, your family will be spared even! All I want is the secret of your creation. Give it to me, and you may live happily ignorant and free for the rest of your days! JUST STOP FIGHTING ME!_

Orion sobbed as the agony in his processor seemed to ebb for a moment, the dark god pulling back enough to allow him to think clearly for a klik. He looked up at Ratchet’s bleeding frame and terrified optics.

“Ohhhh Raaatchet…” He moaned out, tears pouring down his faceplates.

_WHAT IS YOUR CHOICE!?_

Orion wanted to say yes, so very badly. He wanted a life for himself, and a future for his family… he wanted his dreams to come true but... as he looked at Ratchet's bleeding chest plates, he felt his spark burn with righteous fury.

He knew he couldn’t trust this creature inside of him, and he knew he couldn’t let him access that secret. He would easily destroy this universe without a second thought. Even one child of Unicron would be enough to spill his chaos too far, and as Orion was the only mech with even a chance of limiting Unicron’s power…

So he grit his denta, pulling his frame up as he gathered whatever strength he had left and screamed as he pushed against the darkness within him!

**_YOU SHALL NOT WIN UNICRON! NOT WHILE I STILL FUNCTION!_ **

Unicron yelled as Orion’s power surged against him. He continued to dig through the Prime’s walls yet far slower now, each wall taking far more effort to break through.

For a moment Orion felt hope rise in his spark, he felt himself pushing the wretched force of Unicron back further and further. Yes, he was still breaking through his memories, but he was definitely growing weaker.

**_I can do this! The light of Primus shall outshine your wretched DARKNESS!_ **

Suddenly Unicron laughed inside of him.

_I shall show you just how much this universe has taken from you, you FAKE GOD! Revel in the EVIL , the SINS of your CREATIONS! You will give everything up for these creatures that have taken so much from YOU!_

Orion suddenly felt his spark blaze as a terrible loss erupted within it. A loss he had not felt, nor remembered in so long… and with it came a terrible revelation…

The wall Unicron now opened flooded him with the wonderful, and devestating memories of what was once to be his and Megatron’s sparkling…

“AARRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!” He screamed as his frame doubled over, agony and loss tearing through his spark as he remembered his joy and fear at discovering he was sparked. He remembered how he and Megatron had fought after its discovery, how they had not spoken for so long after that fight, and he almost died because of it.

He remembered them coming back together once more, his love singing him his sad song, and then awakening to find himself alone.

He remembered that was how he and Soundwave found love within themselves; when Megatronus had left the darker mech to care for Orion in his absence. How they the created their trine, and how they all eagerly, and fiercely loved the unborn spark. He remembered picking out its precious frame, making sure that it held a little representation of each of the mech’s that had fought so hard to keep it alive through so many odds…

Finally, he remembered as he was stabbed by that wretched senator, his wound not being deep enough to destroy his own spark, yet just deep enough to destroy the budding, innocent sparkling within him…

“ARRRRRGH, ARRRRRRRGH! THEY TOOK HIM FROM ME! THEY TOOK _EVERYTHING!”_ Orion bellowed out, his spark collapsing under the surge of echoes it had never felt before. The echoes of his long dead sparkling that he had never gotten to mourn, never gotten to hold, never got to kiss…

He shattered then, and it seemed, not even the light of Primus could be enough to save him this time…

……………………….

Ratchet could only stare at the younger mech, his chassis covered in energon when finally he heard pede steps outside of the med bay. **_About fragging time!_**

Megatron was the first to enter the clinic, a servo gripping at his spark as if in pain as his optics scanned the bots in the room.

“Ratchet?” The silver mech asked as he slowly neared Orion’s kneeling frame.

“I… I am alright, Un…Unicron!” The medic stuttered out, and he pointed towards Orion.

Knockout worked his way into the room, his optics widening when he spotted the energon that flowed from Ratchet’s chest. “Ohhh, handsome! We gotta get you out of…”

“No, nooo Orion needs me. I am fine, I need to…” Ratchet began, his servo trying to ebb the flow of energon that came from his wound. “It looks worse than it…”

“AAAAAAAARRRRGHHHH!” Orion’s screamed once more, his frame doubling over as if in wretched agony.

Megatron went to move towards his love’s screaming frame, but just as he stepped forward his spark exploded in pain. “AHHHHH!…” He moaned out as he fell to his servos and knees.

Both Knockout and Ratchet stared at the silver mech, their optics going wide as Megatron’s servos ripped violently at his spark.

“Megatron, what is wrong with your spark!?” Ratchet strangled out. He pushed past Knockout, pulling himself up as he stumbled up to the larger mech.

Megatron gritted his denta, “Uuuugh, I don’t know but…”

 “ARRRRRGH, ARRRRRRRGH! THEY TOOK HIM FROM ME! THEY TOOK _EVERYTHING!”_ Orion’s newest scream seemed to shake the walls of the med bay, and all of the mechs looked up to the white mech terrified.

Ratchet stared in horror as energon began to bleed from Orion’s optics, and dribble out of his intake right before  the larger mech leaned forwards and vomited.

Megatron cried out again, his frame shaking as he watched his love suddenly collapse limply to the floor, his frame crashing into the ground loudly before everything went silent.

Ratchet whimpered as he stared at Orion’s inert frame, he immediately looked to Megatron, “The bond, is it still there!?” He asked desperately.

Megatron nodded, and moved himself into a sitting position. His spark still ached yet not nearly as terribly as before, though he did feel wretchedly nauseous and couldn’t stand yet.

Ratchet nodded but his faceplates looked no less relieved, and that worried Megatron deeply.

“Ratchet, he was bleeding from his optics…” Knockout said quietly.

The older medic nodded as he stumbled towards Orion’s collapsed frame. “I know… I know…” He grimaced as he got closer to the white mech. He could still see steam rising from the wretched veins that covered Orion’s frame, and the amount of energon that continued to leak from his shuttered optics was horrifyingly telling.

Megatron felt his spark clench fearfully, “What does that mean, Ratchet? I have never seen optics bleed, not unless…”

“He may have… his processor may be… slag it. He may have fried his processor Megatron. The stress of all of this could have very well brought him to Permanent Misfire… I will need to examine it to be sure, but the bleeding optics… that is… Well, it is not a good sign.” Ratchet suppressed a sob as he shook his helm and continued towards the younger mech.

The air seemed to grow thicker with every step towards Orion, and for a moment Ratchet hesitated in fear. **_No, no.. he needs your help! His chassis is bleeding and his processor may be… I… I can’t be afraid. He needs me._**

Ratchet forced his weak frame forward, and he knelt gently next to Orion’s frame. He vented wearily, before finally placing a servo on the larger mech’s shoulder, and gently flipping him to his back.

“Oh Orion, I am so sorry kid…” The medic started, his optics filling with coolant as he scanned over the younger mech’s frame.

Orion moaned lightly, yet didn’t move as the smaller mech placed a gentle servo along the side of his helm.

 ** _Oh Orion… I will, we will figure this out kid. I promise you, just… just don’t give up ok? I need you around, kid. I need you, Megatron needs you, Soundwave… Slag, we all do! Please be strong, for us…_** Ratchet’s frame hitched slightly as he rubbed Orion’s helm, his digits gently brushing some of the energon from the larger mech’s shuttered optics.

“Knockout, can you grab Bulkhead, I need help getting Orion to a berth and Megatron seems to…” Ratchet never got to finish what he was about to say as Orion’s optics blazed open suddenly, and his clawed servo flew towards the kneeling medic.

“NOOOOOOO!” Knockout screamed as Orion’s fist tore into Ratchet’s spark chamber, ripping past his already injured chest plates like they were nothing but liquid.

The Prime smiled wickedly as he clutched at the gasping medic’s spark, “I foooound it, now… take me home slave!”

Ratchet SCREAMED, his back arching and helm falling back as all of the veins that covered Orion’s body seemed to slither towards the arm that held the medic’s spark.

“NOOOOOO, Pleeease! RAAAATCHET! You BASTARD!” Knockout cried as he ran towards the two mechs, yet he was instantly pushed back from some unseen force, and he smashed into Megatron’s rising frame. The two mechs _slammed_ into the front wall of the med bay, poor Knockout hitting his desk as he flew backwards as well, the impact knocking him into stasis.

Megatron moaned, his spark and frame aching as he raised his now bleeding helm to watch as Unicron and his taint bled into Ratchet’s screaming frame.

“Uhhhh… Raatchet…” He tried to stand, yet his optics kept filling with static, and the world spun before him. He made it only a few steps before the world tipped too far, and he fell to the floor.

As darkness swarmed over his vision, he watched as Orion collapsed once more, Ratchet rising above his love quietly.

Apparently Ratchet's was a far easier spark to overcome and that fact became evident as the medic’s _entire_ frame blazed with the same tainted lines that had once covered Orion’s, and both of his optics blazed with the sickly purple hue.

 Megatron was fairly certain he heard the medic laugh darkly, his servo transforming into one of Ratchet’s long scalpels before he turned and thrust the blade deep into Orion’s chassis! He twisted his arm wretchedly, breaking the blade off inside the unconscious mech.

The silver mech grew slightly aware of the new fire that enveloped his chassis as well, yet he was already too close to emergency shut down as it was to truly feel anything. “O..orio…nnnn…” He whispered out, his servos reaching out to his love weakly.

“You processor is useless as it is, child of Primus, but I have learned long ago to be cautious of my brother’s will to survive, nevermind your own relentless endeavor to live. I can’t have you come looking for me after all of this, young one.” He laughed as he stood, Orion’s energon dripping from his knees as he moved towards the med bay’s doors.

Ratchet… or Unicron stopped for just a moment next to the former warlord, his blazing purple optics glaring into Megatron’s half shuttered ones. “I gave him a chance to choose you, Megatron. He could have had everything he ever wanted, and yet he chose to fight for all of Primus’s worthless creations once again, and look where that has led him. Where it will now lead you all. All because he couldn’t be selfish for one defining moment. How many times shall Primus steal your happiness from you Megatron? If you find yourself in need of retribution, come and find me, I could always use more slaves.” Unicron laughed and stepped over Megatron’s frame.

As the wretched laughter disappeared down the halls of the Nemesis, Megatron sobbed quietly. **_Did I just lose him all over again… have I lost it all… once again?_**

He vented brokenly, his strength fading as Orion’s bled out around him and he found himself wishing for death… **_Let us die together then… leave this wretched world to its own…_**  Yet even as he thought that, he felt his spark go out to another mech…

**_Poor Soundwave, I am sorry my friend… we shall await you in the Allspark…_ **

He groaned as he forced himself to drag his dying frame towards his love, if he was to offline tonight, he would do it holding the only mech that had ever truly loved him…

With each broken pull he felt his frame grow weaker, and knew Orion was very close to death. **_Wait for me my love, let me hold you first, just one last time…_**

He grit his denta as his servos fought for purchase across the energon soaked floor, and he tried to not think about how it was Orion’s energon he was pulling himself through.

Finally he made it to his dying mate, first just to his servo, then to his helm. Megatron stopped there, his shaking, energon soaked servos lifting to cup Orion’s helm, his thumb lightly caressing his love’s cheek plates.

“I lo..love you Orion… Op..optimus… you have always been my… my light… than..thank you…” Megatron sobbed as he laid his helm next to Orion’s his heavy optics begging to close. Somehow he knew, when Orion’s spark went out this time, and their bond broke… he knew he wouldn’t survive it a second time, and in a way, that filled him with a twisted kind of joy, and relief.

Suddenly he thought of something, something that he had kept since the last time he had lost Orion, and he smiled weakly as he opened his subspace. He dug into it gently, the world turning darker with each klik yet finally he found the ancient package and pulled it from his frame.

He almost wished he had gotten to show it to Orion. Show him that he too had never given up on them, not completely, even through all those vorns of war, he had always had hope of… trying to be a family once more...

 He grimaced as pain shot through his spark again, his servos shaking as he gently untied the small parcel, the old ribbons almost crumbling from age, yet as he lifted the top of the box, the gift inside still glittered as beautifully as the first time he laid his optics on it.

He smiled as he pulled the tiny frame out, and gently laid it between his and Orion’s helms, and he felt at peace suddenly. Finally, all of them would be together, and that… that was alright…

“I loved… I lo..ov..ed you both… so much… n..no..now we will h.ha.have etern.ity… together…” Megatron whispered, his arm reaching over the frame of their lost sparkling, and resting atop Orion’s helm.

 He smiled as he shuttered his optics, for what he assumed was the last time, and for the first time in ages, felt like he was finally going home…


	32. ......

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy..*.*... continues radio silence....

Everything was in ruins.

The two groups of Decepticons, and Autobots sat around the war room’s table watching one of the unbroken holovids in silence.

Upon the screens were news stories of terrible storms that were ravaging the Earth, tidal waves crashing over all shores, tornadoes ripping through countries, and fire swept the land.

Unicron had awoken, and the one mech that could really make any sort of a difference now lie in a seemingly unending, mindless coma.

Not only was Orion in permanent stasis, but Megatron, and Soundwave had yet to awaken either, and Ratchet was gone, leaving the terribly depressed, and not nearly as skilled Knockout to keep them all going.

It had been hard enough to find the two leaders dying on the floor of the med bay, but to spy the little frame that was set between them… It had nearly destroyed every one of the mechs.

They had gotten Knockout conscious soon after, and between them all, worked to stabilize the two star-crossed lovers, to the point of permanent stasis, or comas… really.

Orion was the worst off of the two, he had lost so much energon they had needed more than was stored on the Nemesis to get him up to minimal levels again. Solus had watched sadly as bots from both sides sat patiently through numerous transfusions, all of their optics dim, and worried for the Prime.

Orion’s processor though… it was beyond repair, at least that is what Knockout had numbly reported after examining it, meaning, even if they were to get the Prime’s frame to heal, he would never wake the same. Knockout summarized that it would one, be incredible if the Prime ever woke again, and two, a nightmare if he did, because he would just be insane… pure and simple. He would have no control over his frame, thoughts, systems… he would be a shaking, glitching, insane mech…

Solus had taken the news stoically, until Bumblebee had looked at her darkly, his faceplates… she would never forget, when he chirped out to her, “Well, at least his _taint_ is gone.”

She had needed to leave then, and only recently returned to the mourning group to walk in on them all watching the world beneath them begin to destroy itself…

Solus stared at the screens, her spark feeling hollow. **_This planet is doomed, Cybertron is doomed, and the Universe is doomed…Primus… is this the end of it all?_**

She scanned the faceplates of the mechs and femmes around her, her dermas setting in a defiant, and determined line.

“Everyone...” the Prime started, and the teams turned to look at her, desperation and loss in their optics, “I know… I know we are at a grave disadvantage, but… we must still try, and fight this.”

Strika looked up from holding a tearful Lugnut, “With what femme? Yes we have a few trinkets you made, but… but Lord Megatron, Orion… what are we but ants to this God? I don’t care for these fleshlings, but I would fight for them against this _fragger,_ but we have no power… We have nothing…”

Arcee nodded, her optics terribly dim, “I agree with Strika, we are doomed… I will fight, I will give everything for this planet, and the friends we have made here… but, we need to face it, this is going to be our last fight mechs.”

The Cybertronians all nodded, and looked around at one another solemnly.

Solus vented, “I agree, it looks just that way, which is why, I am going to talk to my mate, and try to get him to work with us…”

The bots around the table stared at her openly.

“Solus… do you think that…,” Bulkhead started, fear in his voice,

The Prime shrugged, “As it stands, we are doomed anyways. If he kills me, or takes me, it is up to you all to decide what you will do, but I need try.”

Solus paused for a moment, her spark heavy, “ I… I am so sorry, for failing you as a Prime, all of you, but I am so proud of how you have come together through all of this, how you continue to plan and fight. I, I am awed by you all, and humbled by your power. You all have been more Primely than many of my brethren have been in too long, you have been more Primely than me… for certain… Thank you, all of you. You are so very deserving of better, and… and I wish you all luck in the next few breems. I think we shall all need it.” She bowed low to them all, and turned to make her way to her caged lover, fear and desperate hope whirling through her spark.

………………………..

The last few solar-cycles, if there had been solar-cycles, or breems, Megatronus wasn’t certain, he had been so drugged up, that it all seemed to blur.

It wasn’t until he lifted his drug addled helm to find Solus standing before his cage that time seemed to have passed at all.

He frowned at her, uncertain why she looked so… sad? **_Probably something I did...  always just hurting her... I hate me too…_**

He tried to raise his helm more, but the world swam before him too swiftly and he groaned as he fought falling back into stasis.

“Megatronus…” Solus said as she unlocked the cell he was in. “Do you understand me? We need to speak.”

The dizzy Prime smiled as he thought about how nice her voice sounded. **_I haven’t heard her speak so nicely to me… in sooo long… it is a nice thing…_**

“Soooluuus,” Megatronus slurred out, “Yooou… s..sssound ssweeet.”

The femme rolled her optics, glaring at the hanging mech before her. She rolled her shoulders at the sight remembering when she had hung from that very spot, not so long ago. “Megatronus, I need your help.”

“Aaanything, m..mmmy looove. Alwaays.” Megatronus smiled at her stupidly.

**_He has no idea what I am saying, and I do not know if that is a good thing, or a bad one. Oh, Primus… help me…_ **

“Megatronus, I need to take the Matrix from you.” Solus said quickly, watching his dim optics carefully. “I need it to save this world… I, would like it if you fought with us as well, but… I cannot trust you.”

The Fallen tilted his helm confused, “Mmmmatrix, Op..Op..arrrgh..Opmmmimmusss.”

Solus looked at her mate, her dermas frowning, “No… you stole it from him, you tainted it, and _shoved_ it into your _ungrateful,_ no _good_ …” She forced herself to calm down as she watched Megatronus try and pull back from her.

“Uhhhh, Soolluus, nooot… nooot sweet.” Megatronus groaned, his optics becoming unfocused for a moment, and his intake hanging open as his processor tried to catch up with whatever he had just been worried about. **_Maaad Solus…baaad Solus…_**

“Sooolus, Immm sssorrry. I.. nevvvvvr meeeaaant to… to…” Solus’s optics widened as Megatronus’s frame began to hitch in front of her, and a bit of coolant slipped from one of his black optics. “Nevvver k..k..kiiilll. Trrrricked, baad, stuuupid…” He looked up at her, his optics unfocused, but desperate… “Liiiege M..mmmaximoo. I wussss stuuupiid. I llooove yooou. Alwaaays.”

Solus gasped as his field washed over her suddenly. It was a tangled mess of emotions, from love, to loss, hurt, wrenching sorrow, furious anger, consuming revenge, but most of all was the honesty in everything he had just said.

“I loooove yoooouuu.” Megatronus moaned out, his frame pathetically trying to move closer to her. He seemed to just realize that his arms were chained above his helm, and he growled in frustration, shaking his frame as if to free himself.

“Megatronus STOP! Don’t move, you will cause your injuries to bleed more.” Solus vented as she felt the echoes of his pain through their bond.

He had never been healed since he was brought aboard a few days ago, and the wrists he hung from were still very heavily injured from almost being sawed off. She was amazed his movement hadn’t just ripped through them and dropped him to the ground.

The large mech looked at her in confusion once more, until he noticed energon dripping down on his helm and running down his faceplates. He looked up at his mangled wrists. “Owwww. Innnfe…innnfect… baaaaad.”

As his helm rolled forwards Solus looked up at his wrists and gasped, sure enough the plating around the wretched wounds had turned almost silver in color indicating a massive infection therein.

 ** _He will die if that remains unattended…_** Solus bit her lower derma in thought. Should she care about that? That was a good thing, wasn’t it? The fragger had ruined everything, EVERYTHING! Now everything was falling apart because he was a greedy fragger, and didn’t care if he was going to doom the universe, he only cared about his power, and revenge! **_FRAG HIM! He DESERVES THIS! He deserves to slowly rot into death!... Absolutely…_**

Though, as she looked over his slightly shaking frame, watched as his optics tried to keep focusing on her pathetically, and felt his open raw field… she could only think of the two dying mechs that lay in the med bay above her, and how their story seemed to echo their own…

“I am going to lower you, if you try and attack me, I will stab you through your wretched spark, my life be damned.  Do you understand?” Solus brought the sword she had made for Megatron forward as proof . When Megatronus only groaned, she set her faceplates and walked out of the cell to slowly pull the lever for the chain down.

She heard him cry out and immediately turned her helm back to him only to lose her grasp on the lever, and grimaced as his frame fell to the floor with a resounding crash.

“Ohhh, FRAG! Megatronus!” She ran up to him, her servos grasping his helm gently, “I am so sorry. Are you alright?”

The dark mech looked up at her, his black optics flickering weakly, “Iiiiii pwoooobabllly deeesssserrrved…”

Solus looked at him a moment before she laughed slightly, “Yes, yes you did.”

He smiled at her, his tainted optics glimmering now, “Laaaaugh, isss niiiice.”

Solus suddenly realized this was the closest she had been to him without weapons between them in eons. She could feel the not so steady hum of his spark, it echoed her own. “Megatronus…” She whispered, yet didn’t know what to say. **_I hate you, why did you hurt so many for so long, I can never trust you again… you are a monster…and yet, even after it all  I…lov…_**

“I never understood why Primus allowed you back into the Chamber of the Primes. I hated that he did, that he forgave you. I have… have spent sooo much time just trying to hate you… and to understand why you did, what you did… Then, then you kill all of our Brethren, why Megatronus? You follow me here, taint the last living remnant of Primus, plan to remake Cybertron in your image… why!? Can’t you ever just stop! STOP! Stop hurting things, stop trying to take over worlds, and just LIVE!?” She looked at him, desperation in her optics.

He frowned, and his flickering optics turned away from her blazing ones, “Withoout yooou, nnnnooo lliiifffe. Annnngrrryyy, ssssooo aaannngry…” He growled brokenly, his heated frame shifting slightly as his field filled with fury, “noooonnne beliiiived, uhhh, beeeelieveed mmmmeee! Nnnoooo brrroootthhherrrs! Aaaallll baaannnisshhhheed MEEE! I DIIID NOOOT MEEEEAAANNNN TOOO HUUURRRT YOOOUU!” He cried out, his frame shaking more violently with his rage, and… and terrible sorrow.

Solus stared down at him, her optics filling with coolant, “But why all OF THIS!? This world is falling apart now! Orion is dying, and his processor is ruined! He was the best of us Megatronus! The one that could save us all… and… and now…”

Megatronus vented sickly, coughing as he did so, “Weeee caaan heeelp…”

Solus brought her crying helm up to look at her love, “WHAT!? How?” She watched as he forced his chest plates open and the cell was suddenly filled with the sick purple glow of the Matrix.

“The Matrix? No… no it is tainted Megatronus…” She insisted, yet her optics narrowed as he brought his stilled chained and bleeding servos to his chest.

“Ooooouuuut,” He grunted in frustration as his digits wouldn’t work for him, the cabling and feeds being far too damaged to work.

“Out? Oh… OUT! Ok, ok… wait, you are, you are bleeding all over your spark chamber, love.” Solus said gently, she was lightly aware of what she had just called him, but forced her processor to focus on the task at servo. She gripped the sides of the orb, hissing at its tainted heat as she did so, and checking that she wasn’t hurting the larger mech, started to pull.

“ARRRRGH! Why is this sooo HAAARRRD TO GET OUUUT!?” She groaned as she leaned her frame backwards as far as she could, grimacing as Megatronus moaned painfully under her. She felt the cursed relic slip, just a bit, and sllliiide, and then with a loud hiss and a pop it came free!

“AHHH!” She cried out as she immediately went flying backwards, her helm smashing into the floor painfully and the tainted orb clattering from her servos until it rolled off into one of the corners of the cell. “Owww,” She mumbled, and was about to turn her helm towards Megatronus once more when a brilliant light engulfed the cell and she had to shutter her optics.

She felt her spark ache suddenly, and she bowed over as fire flowed over her frame. “Arrrgh, Megatronus…”

She pulled herself towards his glowing frame, worry filling her burning spark, but almost as quickly as the pain began, it ended, and the light began to dim. She adjusted her optics to find Megatronus returned to his normal frame. No longer was he so jagged and wicked looking, but here lie the frame she had fallen in love with so long ago.

He was venting raggedly, his frame trembling even more so, and he opened his dim red optics to smile over at her, “Feeelss, b..betteerrr.”

She frowned at him rolling her optics, “Of course it does… you big idiot.”

He smiled back at her, “Mmmm, iidiooot. Heeeelllp up?”

She looked over at him, true he wasn’t as large now that he had returned to normal, but it would still be a daunting task to carry him and… what did he even intend to do?

She grasped him under his shoulder, and carefully helped him lift his dizzy frame, hissing at the fevered heat that came from him. Apparently without the added power of the Matrix, the true effects of the infection were coming through more.

“Mmmaaatrix,” He moaned out, gesturing with his chained servos towards the purple orb.

Solus had no idea what he intended, but as she knew the end of the universe was upon them, and she had no better ideas, she shook her helm, made sure he could stand on his own, and picked up the relic. “Ahhh, how did you even have this near your spark, it burns.”

He reached his servos out and she looked quizzically at him for a moment and dropped the orb into them. “Wrooong bout mmmuch.” He slurred out weakly.

She frowned and made her way under his arm once more, “Where now?”

“Primuss caaallls.” He said as he took an unsteady step forward, and somehow did not fall. He smiled, and looked over at the other Prime for a moment, “Looove.”

Solus looked up at him, her spark roiling with uncertainty. Here she stood with the mate she had hated for so long, had blamed for so long, and yet, as he stood here now, she didn’t know what to feel. Maybe it was because he was so sickly, so weak, maybe it was because the universe was literally on the brink of destruction, maybe it was because she had nothing left to lose, or… maybe, just maybe… it was because she had never stopped loving him as well, that she smiled up at him and said for the first time in eons, “I love you too..”

They stood there, staring into each other’s optics deeply, lovingly, and took that moment, a moment that they used to take for granted, a moment they used to laugh through, never realizing what their lives had in store for them, how everything would change so drastically, for so long.

He leaned closer to here, her vents freezing as he kissed her dermas lightly.

Solus didn’t move at first, her entire frame frozen in fear, confusion, and … and longing. She sobbed slightly as she pressed her helm forward, her dermas parting slightly as their kiss deepened. She raised her servos, and wrapped them around his fevered helm as they kissed, and in her spark she knew… **_We are going to die tonight._** That thought pushed her further still, her glossa trailing over his in a way that used to fill her with such joy. **_Oh Primus, I understand now. I understand why you let Orion bond with Megatron, love him, create a sparkling with him, and why… why you forgave Megatronus… Forgive your creations… we can be such fools. We were all too lost in the end. Primes, and creations alike, and now… now all of the important things have been pushed to the forefront… Give us another chance, we can be better… I know we can…_**

The Primes pulled away from each other, their vents ragged, and sparks sad, but feeling more whole than they had in eons…

Solus shook her helm, and set her dermas, “Come on you big idiot, Primus calls, remember?”

Megatronus looked at her a moment longer before he nodded, and began his shaky pede steps once more.

Solus smiled privately, and allowed the feeling of love fill her spark, **_What the frag, we are all going to die anyways, better to do it without hate… at least for a little while…_**

**_…………………….._ **

Orion felt the warmth of a sun’s rays upon his frame, and smiled. He was fairly certain he could also hear a small river or brook bubbling nearby as well, and he wondered where he was.

He un-shuttered his optics to find what looked to be Earth’s crystal blue sky above him, puffy white clouds floated lazily by, and Orion swore he saw one that looked like a fox.

The Prime heard a giggle to the left of him, and he turned his helm towards the delightful sound. There a little frame was skipping next to a glistening brook. The little sparkling laughed as he jumped from stone to stone next to the water, giggling once more as he focused on something in the water.

Orion forced his frame to sit up, rubbing at his helm as he tried to remember how he got here. He looked down at his frame, and was surprised to find himself in his ‘Matrix’ frame. The one he had as his time as Optimus.

Suddenly he realized why that was strange, and he remembered what had happened in the med bay.

“Ratchet!” He screamed as he pushed himself up all of the way, his spark hammering in his chassis.

“AHHH!” His frantic scream had apparently scared the playful sparkling, and he fell into the brook with a splash.

Orion felt awful, and ran towards the river bank. He surged into the cool water and gently lifted the sputtering sparkling up.

“Are you alright?” He asked softly as he placed the little frame down into the soft grass. “I apologize for startling you.”

The little bot coughed a few more times, his optics going towards the water, “Awww… I lost him.”

Orion blinked at the mech, his optics following the sparkling’s, “Who?”

The sparkling smiled up at him, “My fish! But don’t worry, I will find him again. He’s sneaky.”

Orion smiled back, “I am happy you won’t give up. That shows character little one.”

The sparkling nodded, his helm tilting slightly as he peered at the Prime, “You almost gave up, didn’t you?”

The red and blue mech stared at the little bot, his optics wide, “Yes…” He said finally, his helm lowering, “I almost did, and it has cost me everything… am, am I with the All Spark now?”

The little mech looked around, “No, but it is nice here.”

Orion nodded, his optics scanning the world he had awoken to. He seemed to be in a large flowered field, there was the brook right next to him, and a lush forest across the horizon. Suddenly Orion saw a glimmer of silver.

“Megatron!” He called, quickly rising and running over to the silver mech. He knelt next to the mech, his servos reaching out for him, but his servos went straight through Megatron’s image. “Megatron?”

“He isn’t here, not really. He is a part of your spark, but not physically here.” The sparkling said, suddenly directly across from him.

“What!?” Orion looked behind him, and the little bot giggled.

“Stuff is strange here, huh?” He giggled some more, idly picking flowers from the field they were in.

The Prime looked back to Megatron. The former warlord’s optics were closed, yet his chassis moved with each vent. **_He looks so real, everything looks so real, where am I?_**

“What is this place little one?” Orion asked cautiously.

The sparkling giggled, “Don’t you know? This is you! Your spark, what makes you, you.”

Orion frowned as he looked over the beautiful serene scene. For all the beauty around him, the turmoil in his spark painted a very different image of what his spark would look like.

The little bot frowned as well, “It isn’t all this nice, if that is what you are wondering.”

As if to prove the young one’s point the sky suddenly blackened above them. Orion stood, looking up as lightning crossed the sky, and rain began to pour over them.

The little sparkling keened, and ran to his leg, hugging it tightly.

Orion looked down at the little one, concern in his optics when he heard a scream.

“What…?” He asked to no one in particular, looking around him as the scene changed to what looked to be a broken Cybertronian city. Even though it was raining, fires blazed around them.

He looked to one side to see the ruined streets covered in dead frames, and to the other side of him lay chains scattered everywhere. Twisted berths, and torture equipment littered the street as well, and Orion was certain he heard terrible laughter echoing from somewhere in the darkness.

The Prime stumbled back from the chaos around him, his spark hammering in his chassis. “Noooo…” He whispered out as he curled into a ball, his venting ragged as he closed his optics, willing all of the sights, and sounds, scents…all of it away…

He felt a gentle servo on his shoulder, and braved a look up to find the sparkling smiling sadly down at him. **_Why does he look so much bigger now?_**

Orion unfurled himself to find his frame had changed into his sparkling’s frame! “What?” His little voice squeaked out, before he started to cry.

The other sparkling held him tightly as he cried, his own little servos rubbing Orion’s helm gently, “You have been through a lot, huh?”

Orion didn’t say anything, only nodded silently into the larger sparkling’s chest.

“But, I bet it wasn’t all that bad, come on! Let’s go have a look?” He grasped Orion’s shaking servo, and they began to walk.

The little Prime walked hesitantly at first, the other sparkling smiling back at him now and then as they walked along the field.

The scene began to change to a familiar sight, and Orion smiled as he noticed Ratchet’s old home. It was a modest little building that was in the outskirts of upper Iacon.

Orion looked around him and smiled, he could hear laughter here, and the sound of Ratchet roaring coming from the small sun colored building. He ran ahead of the other sparkling, and peered into one of the lower windows. He watched a memory of himself waddle by, his frame a few models smaller than the one he currently had, and then he giggled as Ratchet came stomping after him, pretending to be Trypticon.

“ROOOAAR, I LOOVE EATING NAUGHTY LITTLE SPARKLINGS! You better get over here and FUUUEL OR I’M GONNA EAT YOU!” Ratchet yelled out, his servos out before him, his digits spread like claws.

Orion smiled as he remembered how he had never been afraid of the medic, never… He frowned then, thinking of the last time he saw the medic.

“Come on, there is more,” The little sparkling said reaching up for his servo, and Orion realized his frame had changed once more, and he was a bit taller than the strange little bot.

He followed the bot down the streets of Iacon in its glory days. He tilted his helm as mechs he once knew filled the streets, all smiling and laughing. He saw them talking with him as a youngling, speaking of things they had read, or the local gossip, until he finally saw an image of himself sitting alone, optics feverishly scanning over a datapad, and he realized, he was seeing the first time he had read Megatronus’s writings.

Orion smiled widely, and the scene quickly changed around them. He almost cried as he looked up to the multicolored lights of Kaon’s main street above him.

“Megatronus…” he whispered as he followed the lit path, the sparkling skipping after him. There at the end of the street stood a far younger, and less scarred Megatron, holding a smiling and gleaming Orion.

The Prime paused as he watched their first kiss play out before him, and he felt that utter joy fill his spark once again.

The street filled with all sorts of memories of his early days with Megatronus, and the Decepticons. Some alleys were filled with lights and music, others were terribly dark, and filled with screams.

The sparkling held his servo tightly as they walked through Kaon. “You had a lot of ups and downs here, but it was where a bond like none other was made. A few of them… actually.”

Orion looked down at the sparkling, marveling at how much older he sounded, but there he was just this little thing still. Orion though, had changed once more, and he found him in the scarred visage of his youth.

He brought his servo up to his faceplates, and felt the long scar that went from the corner of his dermas up his cheek plating.

The sparkling looked at him thoughtfully, “For all the evils done, you still pushed forwards, until the very end.”

The scene changed once more, and the two of them stood in the Senate’s council chamber. Orion grit his denta, long forgotten fury filling his spark. “We tried, we tried the right way, and they tore us apart for it.”

The sparkling nodded sadly, his servo tight around Orion’s. “Yes, they were wicked mechs… And… the world payed for their wickedness…”

The scene changed once more to show Cybertron in flames. The Prime looked through the flames, and dying frames to see himself and Megatron battling further off. He remembered this fight well, as it one of the last ones they had on their planet’s surface.

He watched Megatron spin suddenly, he was always so graceful for such a large mech, and stab him through his chassis. Though he couldn’t feel the pain now, the Prime still flinched at the memory of the pain. He watched Megatron catch him before he fell, pulling his sword back out as he lay the dying Prime down amongst the flames.

Orion moved closer, he had remembered most of that battle, but once he had been stabbed his memory had become a blur. “How, how am I seeing this? I was nearly in stasis then.”

“You are bonded to him, some of his memories, especially important ones, can bleed through every now and then.” The sparkling shrugged.

Megatron smiled wickedly at the injured Prime, his sword poised over Optimus’s spark chamber, “Now Prime, to finally split your wretched spark in half. Now I can finally avenge my love, the love you DESTROYED!”

Optimus only moaned brokenly under him, his optics flickering as he looked up at the snarling warlord, “I…I ammm s.sorry…Meg..Mega..Megatroonuss..”

The reaction was instant, and even Orion could feel the terror Megatron had felt then in his spark now. “WHAT!? WHAT DID YOU SAY!?” Megatron ripped his sword away from the Prime’s chest plates. “WHAT DID YOU SAY!?” He grabbed Optimus’s shoulders roughly lifting the Prime until he could look into his optics evenly, “WHAT did you FRAGGIN SAY PRIME!?”

Optimus merely moaned, his helm lolling as coolant fell from his optics.

Megatron glared at the Prime a moment more until he suddenly sobbed, and pulled the dying Prime close. “ARRRRGH! I hate you, I HATE YOU… why… why… why can’t I kill you…” He sobbed harder then, his frame shaking as he held Optimus’s now unconscious frame.

Soundwave was the one to find him, and gently unfurled his Lord from the Prime, and helped him stumble away, but not before sending one of Optimus’s flares into the sky, so that his team could find him.

**_Ratchet always said it was a miracle I didn’t offline that day, and how lucky I was to have a misfiring flare…_ **

Orion looked at the sparkling then, his spark conflicted as always when it came to his love, “Megatron made the world pay… yet I wonder, if I were the only one left, after all of that, after losing… everything… would I not have done the same?”

The little bot looked up at him, “That is a big question… what do you think you would have done?”

Orion sighed, his spark aching as he thought of the sparkling he had lost, that was taken from him so wretchedly, and then if he had lost Megatron on top of that… being so young… so naïve, and so alone… **_Would I have become the warlord instead?_**

The scene changed once more, and he found them surrounded by darkness. It wasn’t frightening, just peaceful, and silent.

The little sparkling skipped off, before sitting some distance away, leaving the Prime to his thoughts.

**_I almost became exactly that… I foolishly allowed Unicron’s influence to grow in my spark… I didn’t want it to be him, I was just desperate, desperate for help, hope… I didn’t know it was Unicron that answered… And now all is chaos._ **

Suddenly the darkness receded slightly, and the blurry visage of the Nemesis med bay came into view. As the image cleared he saw himself, Megatron, and Soundwave all lying on berths around the clinic.

Knockout sat numbly at his desk, his optics open but vacant.

Orion moved so that he was between his two loves, his spark reeling with his newfound memories of them all. From Kaon, to the war, to what had happened since the Fallen…

The sparkling moved up next to him, grasping his servo tightly. “There are many evils in this life. Many bad things, bad creatures, but don’t forget the good.”

Orion looked at the little bot, his oversized optics glimmering happily and a big smile covering his faceplates and the Prime suddenly froze. “Your optics…one is blue and the other…” He started, and finally took in the look of the sparkling before him. His helm mirrored his own, with little audial finials adorning the sides. His frame was mostly silver, but had trimmings of black and red as well, long legs, and broader shoulder plating.

Orion gasped as he stumbled back towards the berth that held his own frame. His shock grew even further as he saw the same exact frame, lying with him on the berth. “Ohhhhh… ohhhh my….” He sobbed as he looked back to the sparkling that had been with him through this whole strange journey, his spark hammering wildly.

**_I didn’t… I didn’t recognize him because I had never seen his optics with light in them… Ohhhhh, Primus… ohhhh…._ **

Orion fell to his knees, his optics bleeding coolant freely.

The sparkling smiled at him, its little frame moving first to Soundwave, “Hello there… I am going to need you to wake up soon, ok? Everybody misses your smile.” The sparkling lifted himself over the lip of the berth, and kissed Soundwave’s helm lightly. The darker mech moaned slightly, but his dermas rose to a small smile at the contact, or illusion of contact.

“Ok see, that’s better!” The sparkling giggled, and leaned in to whisper something into Soundwave’s audial, before kissing him again and lowering himself to the floor once more.

Orion stared through his tears as the little bot then turned to Megatron’s berth. He walked over to the silver mech, once more pulling his little frame up, only this time he pulled himself all the way up until he lay on Megatron’s chassis.

“He always needed a little more help than most, huh?” The sparkling said warmly, as he held onto Megatron tightly. “Hello… Sire.”

Orion sobbed harder, his vision blurring as he watched.

“I know things hurt, but you are getting better. Not every creature is bad… and not all adventures are happy, but you are a good mech Sire… and I love you. So be strong, ok? My carrier needs you, my family needs you. I love you and Sire Soundwave soo much…”

He lifted himself up, and noticed Megatron’s optics were dripping with coolant. “Noo… don’t cry Sire, I am happy. I am so happy, and I have a big job ahead of me, and so do you! So be strong! Haha, this isn’t the end yet!” He giggled as he leaned forward and kissed Megatron’s helm as well. “I love you, take care of our family.”

He smiled as he crawled off the large mech, patting his helm lightly as he finally turned back to Orion.

The Prime felt frozen, his spark reeling as the sparkling he had never known, the one he had dreamed of so often as Optimus, but never understood why, the sparkling that he had worked so hard, all of them had, to keep alive, keep strong…only to fail so miserably, walked up to him.

“I… I..am so ….s..s.soorr….” Orion’s frame hitched once more, and he put his servos over his intake, trying to quell the sobs that continued to escape.

The little sparkling smiled, “I am happy, Carrier. I am happy, and not alone. I have a bunch of friends, Jazz says hello too! And Kup, and Hound, and… well, you were pretty popular!”

“How… how? The All Spark is…” Orion’s curious nature overwhelmed his shock of it all for a moment, and the sparkling laughed.

“Safe, and off planet… Primus, will show you.” The little bot knelt in front of the crying Prime, his smile wide. “It will be ok, Carrier. It will all be ok.”

Orion sobbed once more before finally extending his shaking arms, and marveling as his child fell into them for the first time ever. “Ohhhhh…. Ohhhh I l..ll…love yoooou!” Orion pulled the sparkling close, he laughed as he felt the little bot's arms encircle his neck.

“I love you too! Don’t be so sad now… Ok? You aren’t alone, and this time, it is because of the good guys!” The little bot snuggled into Orion’s frame, their sparks coming close for the first time in so long, and it felt as if the most awful wound Orion had ever felt was suddenly healed.

“No more pain now, not from me. Not for you, or Sire, ok? I have to move on, and you both do too.” The little one raised his helm his optics shinning up to the empty frame on the berth. “That isn’t me anymore Carrier, I am more.”

“What?” Orion loosened his hold on the tiny mech, to find him glowing with light. “WHAT!?” Orion started, pulling the white mech away from him gently.

The sparkling giggled, “I am a part of Primus too! I was made from a portion of your spark after all, haha! Only, my path has been a bit different than yours, and that is sad but GOOD! You will see, but Carrier, you need to make a choice. You could stay in the All Spark, stay with me, Sire, Jazz, every mech… or… or stand up and fight for the universe one more time.”

The Prime blinked at the young, but vastly intelligent, kind, happy, strong, and loving mech. His spark ached with indecision, and yet… he knew already what his answer was.

“Wait for us?” Orion said sadly, his servo rubbing the white mech’s helm gently.

“I will be ready for you forever! I am very patient, and like I said, I have things to do too, haha. Maybe,” The sparkling looked over at what was once to be his frame, “Maybe you can make me a sister, or a brother?”

Orion’s spark filled with such light in that moment that he was sure if his spark would burst. “I will think on it, little one.”

Orion suddenly felt a presence enter the room, and he and the sparkling turned towards the med bay’s door to find Solus Prime, and Megatronus, limping through.

His sparkling looked at him his faceplates frowning for a bit, “Another bit of sadness Carrier, but not forever. To get enough power to heal your frame…” He looked back over at the two struggling Primes. “Death for a Prime, is never forever though… remember that.”

Orion blinked at the little bot, “They… they would need to, to die?”

“Only a little, don’t worry Carrier, like I said, it will all be ok. It will all be alright. I promise.”

Orion nodded quietly as he watched his fellow Primes walk over to his frame.

“I love you Carrier, and it is time for you to wake up now.” The sparkling held him tight one more time, Orion holding on to him so tightly, he was afraid he might be hurting the little thing.

“I love you, wait for us, dear, dear one.” Orion sobbed out, kissing the little one’s helm over and over.

“I will, I love you, and I am so proud of my family, go and save the universe, and my Grandsire. I like him, and he needs you.”

With that, the sparkling stood, and kissed Orion lightly, “I will be waiting, go get that bad guy!”

The Prime laughed once more, his frame suddenly buzzing with unknown energy as his vision began to blur. “I will, I love you, I will tell your Sire’s about what you said!”

The little bot giggled and danced, “Oh, they will remember! BYE BYE! I LOOOOVE YOU!”

As his vision continued to fade, Orion felt his spark swell with a light so bright it was almost painful.

_Orion, my son, I am with you, your son is with you, your friends, and companions are with you. Unicron shall never hold sway over this spark ever again. Come now, your Destiny awaits…_

Orion laughed as he immediately recognized the sweet, soft voice of Primus, the _true_ Primus. Primus that led him out Vice’s, Primus that brought him to Hook’s clinic, and Primus that told him of the Matrix… and his sparklings words came back to him.

**_It will all be ok… It will alright now…_ **


	33. Last Resort

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo, we are coming to the end... but first... this short..er, chapter... (in my standards at least.) I have stupidly long chapters sometimes... Everything is chaotic, every mech is... tired, lost... worn.. and here comes the crescendo. Yay!

When Megatron suddenly vented in deep, almost desperately Knockout’s optics widened and his spark clenched, **_Is this it? Is he finally dying?_**

He dragged his exhausted frame up from his chair and walked over to his leader. He peered curiously at Solus and Megatronus as they walked in. He was surprised that she had brought him in here but given that everything was on the edge of collapse, Knockout didn’t think much of it.

He turned back to the silver mech, his optics blinking as he turned his helm curiously. **_Is he... He is! He is crying…_**

Knockout shook his helm slowly, lifting a servo to wipe at his leader’s tears. **_I feel you Megatron…_**

He heard the two Prime’s begin to talk to one another, their words low and sad sounding and he suddenly felt very out of place. He looked over at Megatron one more time. **_If he is going to die, there is nothing I can do now anyways. I will give these two a moment alone for now… at least they have someone to hold in the end…_**

Knockout felt his spark clench painfully as he thought of Ratchet and he rubbed his wet optics. He kept his whine from escaping, not wanting to bring attention to himself as he left the med bay.

He walked quietly through the halls of the Nemesis. It was oddly quiet as the entire crew was down in the lower levels sorting out weapons, and dispensing fuel for the upcoming and doomed battle.

Knockout would be stuck on the Nemesis through it all… ready to ground bridge in the injured… **_Not like it will matter… Might as well let them at least die with their friends…Me... I am going to be stuck here to die alone in the end… just like Ratc…_**

He stumbled as his frame hitched violently, and he had to hold onto the wall as his vision filled with coolant. “Ohhh…. Why Primus? Why did you have to take them both?” He keened as he curled into himself, not caring if any other mech saw him crumble in the halls. Everything was in ruins anyways… so why… why not break? Why not allow himself one last moment to feel something?

The red medic grabbed his helm as he curled into a ball, “Ohhh… Ratchet… I… should have said it! I was sooo s..s.sstupidly afraid and nooow… you will never know…” He moaned brokenly, his arms wrapping around himself… holding tight as if that were all that was keeping him together.

“Ohhhh… I… I loooved yooooou! I LOVE YOU! Why… WHY DID YOU LEAVE MEEE!? I am sorry I was scared… COME BAAAACK! Come back… and I will tell you every day…”He sobbed harder, pressing his fevered helm to the cool metal of the floor, “Ev..every day…Ohhh…”

His cries echoed hollowly down the cold empty halls of the ship… the scene around him mirroring the agony of his cold hollow spark.

…………..

Arcee watched through dim optics as weapons were handed out, and fuel consumed. Some mechs like Bee, and Peanut Butter couldn’t find it in themselves to find an appetite to fuel and honestly, she couldn’t blame them.

She vented as she hoisted her sword that Solus had forged for her, up to her shoulder. “Alright bots… if we all have our weapons, and fueled as much as we can keep down… I think it is time to head down to the surface.”

She looked at all of the sullen faceplates, her spark tight.

Strika stood beside Lugnut, her dermas set in thin line, and Lugnut… poor simple mech, he just looked lost without Megatron there with them.

Shockwave and Predaking stood silently. The purple scientist watched the on goings around him curiously while Predaking had a grim and sad glow to his optics.

Bulkhead and Bee stood together, they were oddly silent, and Arcee was certain she saw some coolant escape the yellow mech’s optics, but he quickly brushed it away.

The rest were Vehicons and all had varying degrees of emotions running across their faceplates. All had come to enjoy the peaceful times that the two groups had had… no matter how short it ended up being.

Arcee smiled bitterly, in so many ways she had fought the changes that had brought them to this point, never really allowing herself to hope that things would ever truly change. She wanted to say it was an honest and deserved disbelief that... that she hadn’t squandered the time but… as Optimus… no... Orion lay glitched and dying, Megatron dying with him… and the world tearing itself apart, she kind of wished she had allowed herself to smile more often.

She sighed, bringing a small and determined smile to her faceplates. “We have a small idea of what to expect, as we have done this before, only… now we have no Prime… no Matrix. I, I am certain what we are going down to shall… shall be certain death and… and I just wanted to say, I am honored to fight by _all_ of you in this final battle.” She bowed to the bots around her and they all, in different ways, bowed back.

Strika stepped forwards, “I agree, this story… started long ago, and now we must finish it! I am proud to fight once again as a Cybertronian, and not just a Decepticon, and… I shall continue that fight until my spark shines its last glimmer. Our leaders once had a dream of a unified Cybertron, where all were equal and fought together for the glory of Cybertron.” Strika looked around her, her optics glowing, “And they have succeeded. Perhaps not in the way they intended, but here we all are, at the end… fighting as one.”

She raised her fist, “We Are One!”

The bots all around the room lifted their fists as well and cried, “WE ARE ONE!”

“Now let’s go show this fragger that… that Cybertronians don’t go down without one frag of a fight!”

The bots cheered loudly as they began their march towards the ground bridge.

Arcee vented once more as she followed the group of Cybertronians. **_This is it… this is the moment where our story ends…_**

**_………………._ **

Souls looked down at Orion’s broken frame, her spark aching at the sight.

Megatronus grunted as he gently placed the Matrix on one of the trays next to the dying Prime. “Heee fiind it.” He looked wearily over to his mate’s faceplates, and smiled sadly. “Timmme…”

Souls looked up at him, her optics determined, but fearful…” I am afraid.” She whispered, her servos going to her chest plates.

Megatronus smiled, “Noooot foooreverrr…  I beee withhh… with yooou.” He bent forwards and rested his helm against hers for a moment, inhaling her wondrous scent. “Loooove…”

Solus shuttered her optics, steeling herself for what was needed of them. “Love.”

She pulled back, her optics now blazing with resolve as she reached over Orion and opened his chest plates.

Both Primes watched as the youngest Prime’s spark was revealed. There it pulsed weakly, a tainted reddish color as it struggled to keep his frame functioning.

Solus vented deeply, her spark fluttering with fear and apprehension, “What if this doesn’t work, what if we just die for nothing? What if the universe still falls to Unicron, what if…”

Megatronus laughed weakly, “Tooo mmmuch mmmind.” He stumbled slightly, his vision darkening for a klik.

Solus grabbed him, holding him steady with her unique strength. He smiled down at her, “I… bee betteerrrr, neeext tiimmme. Yooou see…”

She looked up at him, her frame shaking with fear, and hope. “That is if we have a second chance, my love… I suppose Primus will be the judge of that… won’t he?”

Megatronus looked over at Orion, “Primuuus knows, beetteeer th..thhhaaan us.”

Solus looked towards Orion as well, “That he is…” She smiled slightly, “Are you ready for this?”

Megatronus vented brokenly, his frame coughing after, “Waaait.”

He lowered his helm to hers once more, “Kisss, fooor… for llluuuck.”

Solus’s frame stopped shaking for a moment as she looked at him incredulously, “You are such an idiot.” But she couldn’t help but smile as she leaned towards him, and pressed her dermas against his.

He moaned against her, wishing his servos would work so that he could hold her, but she figured one last kiss would suffice, for now.

Finally, after what seemed like only a moment, but was surely longer, they pulled apart. Together they raised their servos over Orion’s spark, their optics set on each other’s, and they began to transfer their energy.

Megatronus smiled at his love, and she gave him the gift of smiling back. “Loooovvvee…” he whispered out as his optics began to dim, and his frame sag.

Solus felt herself grow dizzy, and darkness began to fill her vision as she looked lovingly at her mate. She felt her spark begin to burn slightly, but it didn’t hurt terribly, just… an added warmth, “Love…”

Megatronus watched as Solus’s frame began to grey, and he watched her optics dim until there was no longer any of their beautiful cerulean glow left and she slowly slid to the floor.

He hated seeing her die once again, for so long those images had haunted his nightmares, but this time… it was different. He raised his heavy helm to find Orion’s spark blazing with new power, and growth. Even his frame began to heal itself and the Fallen smiled in relief. **_Itss working Soolus… wee… weee diid it… togetherrr…_**

His optics rolled back as he felt his spark burn and his frame soon was slipping along the side of the berth, and he felt himself slump against his love.

In his last moments he thought of his promise to his love. **_I wiiilll beee betteeer… fooor usss… fooor all of us…_** The once Fallen Prime died then, a smile on his scarred dermas as his frame lay against his long lost love… and with their sacrifice… came light.

……………………

Soundwave groaned as his systems slowly rebooted. He tried to unshutter his optics yet the room around him seemed far too bright, and as he heard another groan come from next to him, he knew he was not alone.

Adjusting his optics, the lithe mech sighed as the overwhelming light seemed to ebb, and he could see that he was lying on one of the berths in the Nemesis’s med bay. **_Arrrgh, what... What has happened? I… I was impaled…dying and then…_**

He forced his frame to sit and found himself aching as he did so. It wasn’t a terrible pain, only as if he had been lying for far too long.

“S..Soundwave?” A deep voice grated out.

The black and blue mech turned his helm to find Megatron lying on a berth across from him. **_Why is Megatron here? Did Megatronus injure him as well?_**

“Lord Megatron, what… what has happened?” Soundwave asked, his voice gruff from lack of use.

The silver mech was silent for a moment, his optics shuttering as he rubbed his chest plates. For the first time in eons he didn’t feel that lingering ache. The pain that had always lingered in the back of his spark, the constant reminder of the loss of…

Suddenly Megatron’s optics bulged and he ripped himself up. “Soundwave… our sparkling…”

Soundwave’s optics bulged as well as he suddenly remembered the ghost of a kiss and that little voice, “Yes.. I… I thought it was a dream…”

Both mechs looked at one another, their sparks reeling.

Megatron laughed suddenly, his optics filling with coolant as he held his servo to his spark. “He’s happy…”

Soundwave began to laugh as well, “And safe…”

Both of them reveled in that knowledge for a moment, overwhelmed by emotions, until Megatron remembered what had brought them to that point.

“Oh no… Orion.” He stood, his frame stumbling slightly as he turned towards Orion’s berth. “What…?” He whispered as he saw the two grey frames slumped against his mate’s berth.

Soundwave stood as well, his optics falling to Solus and Megatronus. He raised his helm to find Orion’s spark chamber open, and his love’s frame pure white and clear of any of those purple veins. “What.. he is cured?” Soundwave whispered, “Was it through Solus, and Megatronus’s sacrifice?”

Megatron grit his denta. “No… no it has been transferred to Ratchet now, and Orion…” He moved next to his lover’s inert frame. “He has been healed by them, but why has he not awoken?”

Soundwave stepped up next to him, his servo rubbing along Orion’s helm gently. “He saved me.”

Megatron looked at the smaller mech, “Yes… yes he did… and I almost killed him for it.”

Soundwave looked up at his oldest friend. Megatron’s faceplates were dark as he reached out and shut his love’s chest plates. “Much has occurred since you were last conscious, my friend. We have all made many mistakes.”

There was a noise behind the two mechs, and they turned as the sound of something shattering filled the med bay.

“HOLY FUCK!” Knockout cried, his intake gaping as he stared at Soundwave and Megatron.

Soundwave tilted his helm curiously at the red medic, and Megatron merely looked at him flatly until Knockout bolted forwards, his arms outstretched before him.

Megatron only had a moment to brace his frame as the medic crashed into him sobbing.

“I thought…. We thought… OHHHH, YOU’RE ALIVE!” Knockout held onto the former warlord so tightly that Megatron was worried the medic would dent his plating.

“Arrrgh, Knockout! What are you…” The silver mech strangled out, glaring at Soundwave as he laughed quietly.

Knockout looked over at the darker mech, “AND YOU!” He lunged at Soundwave, the spy bot almost falling over from the force of his hug.

Megatron rubbed his chassis, his normal scowl returning, “Yes, yes, we live… it couldn’t have been that long, has it been?”

Knockout’s response was to laugh madly, “Ohhh… I dunno, maybe seven solar-cycles…? A lunar-cycle… WHO THE FRAG KNOWS! So much has happened! Maybe… I have no idea! It feels like it has been an eon! You, they found us after…” Knockout paused, his optics dripping as he shakily tried to keep his processor together. “Anyways, once Ratch… NO. Unicron left, we healed you both as well as we could but.. Oh…”

Knockout looked back behind Megatron, his faceplates falling as he realized Orion was still in stasis, but he frowned as he noticed the Prime’s frame was healed, at least on the outside.

“He is fixed, but… I wonder if his processor…” The medic started.

“Focus, Knockout… What has been happening… Wait,” Megatron turned towards the still Prime, “His processor? What, what is wrong?”

Knockout blinked; there was so much to explain but no time to do so! “Scrap, everyone just went to the surface! Unicron, he has awakened, the Earth is tearing apart… and they have little to no hope of… and Orion… his processor… It well, it’s fried, or was. I have to check on it.”

Megatron growled, **_Everyone is on the surface? All facing Unicron without Orion… and his processor might be fried? Yet, if his frame is healed, his processor should be as well right?_**

Megatron rubbed his helm, “We need to get down there.” He looked to his second in command and Soundwave merely nodded grimly at him. “Knockout, check on Orion’s processor, hopefully what Solus and Megatronus sacrificed was able to repair that for him as well. I hope… I suppose…  soon it may not matter anyways, this might just be the end of all of us.”

The former warlord bent over Orion and kissed him gently on his helm, “Wake up love, we need you.” He stood then, and began to make his way out of the med bay.

Soundwave rubbed his love’s helm before turning to knockout, “Take care of him Knockout, we shall try and remain functioning long enough to…” He looked over at Orion once more. “To do whatever we can… I suppose.”

Knockout looked at his old teammate, his optics wide, “I will, but Soundwave, try and… and bring Ratchet back. I know that is the least of our worries but, I just don’t want him to become forgotten… that’s all.”

Soundwave smiled at him, “I will not forget him. I don’t think any of us ever could, that mech has done more for us than so many.”

Knockout vented out as he moved to the Prime’s helm, “Yeah, yeah he has.”

Soundwave nodded and with one last look at Orion followed his leader out to whatever chaos was befalling them all.

…………………….

There were numerous of Unicron’s sand soldiers to contend with first and the group of Cybertronians were having no easy time in dispatching them.

Arcee vented as another wave came at them, “FRAG IT! On the left, ON THE LEFT! Don’t let them break that LINE!” She screamed out as her sword ripped through another spawn, its form crumbling to sand.

Strika snarled at her, “I KNOW THAT FEMME! Lugnut, get you aft over there!” The larger femme was dealing with three of Unicron’s spawns. Her plating was already covered in cracks and bleeding energon freely. As she was the largest mech they had right now, except Predaking, her and the predacon had taken on the largest of the creatures.

Predaking roared above her, blasting another line of fire along the sand soldiers. Everywhere seemed to be smoking and charred and the air was thick with the scent of smoke and energon.

Shockwave was in his tank form, his cannon sniping the spawn that had yet to reach the group, “It would be logical to assess what our plan is should we make it past these drones.”

Arcee grunted as she ripped through two of the smaller abominations, “One pede at a time, Shockwave! We might not even make it out of…” Her optics bulged as she watched a huge tower of sand shift nearby. **_Frag it all…_**

“We have a _colossal_ coming up on the right flank! PREDAKING!”  The two wheeler spun, her helm searching for the predacon only to find him already engaged with near six of the larger creatures. “Damnit! Strika, Shockwave… we have a  COLOSSAL!”

Shockwave turned his barrel and began firing heavily as the gigantic spawn began to lift itself from the earth.

Strika ROARED, ripping into her opponents before turning and running towards the newest threat. She jumped along the leg of the huge form’s leg, running and crawling up its frame to the wretched thing’s neck and began sawing into the sand there. It seemed if the big ones either received enough damage or had their helm ripped off, they’d fall.

“ARRRRGH! FRAGGIN DIE, SCUM!” She screamed, her arms burning with exhaustion as she sawed through the creature.

Suddenly the avatar’s servo grabbed ahold of her and ripped her from his shoulder. He then threw her across the sky.

“AHHHHHHHHH!” She screamed trying to transform as she tumbled through the air dizzily until suddenly she was caught.

“Arrrrgh, I have you.” A wonderful, familiar deep voice filled her audials and she looked up to see Megatron holding her as they fell. “Hold on!”

His pedes _slammed_ into the Earth beneath them, his long, strong arms letting her down gently once they landed.

“Lord Megatron! You’re alive,” she cried out her optics wide with awe.

He laughed heartily, “I wasn’t aware I had ceased to function, though I do agree, it was close. Come, perhaps we can level the field now.”

“We? Is the Prime…” she looked up to him only to see his faceplates fall.

“He… he is still in stasis, yet Knockout will send him down if…” Megatron had to stop as his processor filled with terror over losing Orion to Permanent Misfire. “We have another battle to fight for now though, come Strika let us see who can destroy the most of these creatures.”

Strika looked at him, his optics filling with hope, but also worry, “Lord Megatron, what if… how will we end this?”

Megatron looked down at her, “It may be in death Strika, but until then, let us fight as fiercely as we ever have. I have learned Cybertronian’s… Autobot or Decepticon… never go down easily. Let us not start now.”

Strika nodded, pulling her injured frame up as she followed her leader back into battle.

…………………………….

Knockout frowned as he looked over the Prime’s processor… it seemed to have been healed to a certain point, but still contained a vast amount of damage.

He felt his shoulders sag, his hope faltering until he realized, though slow, agonizingly so… Orion’s processor was indeed...  _healing_.

Slowly the paths…  corroded chips and lines, they... they were healing! They were reconnecting, and rebuilding, only at a terribly slow pace… of course, rebuilding a processor was no easy task. Even with the help of the Primes, apparently...

Knockout smiled though, his hope hanging on by a slim thread as he watched the repairs continue. **_Ohhh Prime… we need you, we need you now! Please, please don’t wake too late…We need you, your trine needs you, and… and Ratchet needs you…._**


	34. Hope and Despair

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! So you guys are totally awesome! Ok, this chapter has do do with Orion and Ratchet. Not gonna give stuff away.. umm sorry for errors.. ENJOY!

_“It’s time to wake up, they need you Carrier…”_

Orion’s frame shuttered for a moment, and Knockout peered over at it frame his desk. **_Prime? PRIME!? Oh, maybe he is waking up! This could be it! Come on… You can do it!_**

The white mech’s engine revved loudly, and his fans began to spin faster as the medic stood slowly, his spark heavy, but hopeful.

 Finally a low groan was emitted and Orion’s brilliant white optics blazed online.

Knockout raised his servos to his faceplates, his spark hammering in his chassis. **_He is awake! Maybe we aren’t all doomed! Oh please…_**

Orion looked around him, his optics blinking as he felt out his frame once more. It felt heavy around him, and his movements were sluggish. He grunted as he forced himself to a sitting position, his helm rising to find Knockout staring at him, and he smiled.

“OHHH!” Knockout cried out running towards the Prime immediately wrapping his arms around the larger mech.

Orion hugged the smaller mech back, his optics rising to find Soundwave, and Megatron’s berths were already empty. **_How long did it take me to online? I hope I made it in time.._**

Orion gently pulled the medic from him and was about to ask how long it had been since Soundwave and Megatron left, but as he tried to talk it came out brokenly, “M**gt*rn.”

His optics narrowed at his inability to speak but Knockout just kept smiling. “So they couldn’t fix everything. Listen Prime, you are lucky to even be online right now. Your processor alone was obliterated, and honestly, if the world beneath us wasn't being destroyed, I would give you solar-cycles of tests but… they need you down there.”

Orion nodded, pushing his frame up to stand, and stumbled slightly as his vision swam before him. Knockout rushed forwards to steady the larger mech, concern filtering through his optics. “Frag, maybe you are worse off than I…”

“A**m  we***ll,” Orion said brokenly, he shook his helm and reset his optics until the world stopped spinning in front of him. It was then that he spied the tainted Matrix sitting next to his berth. He frowned as he looked at it and Knockout nodded pointing to where two frames were covered and laid out on the med bay floor.

 ** _They gave their lives to save me…_** Orion smiled sadly at the covered frames before turning back to the Matrix. He picked up the heated orb, his spark heavy with memories. Here, this little thing had changed so much in his life. He had never wanted it, never wanted the responsibility Primus had ordained for him, and now, as before, it had become the tool to save them all.

_We can purify it, my child._

Primus’s voice filled his audials and Orion nodded. He opened his chest plates then, Knockout looking at him worriedly.

“Prime, that thing is still tainted, are you sure you wanna…” The medic asked, his voice shaking slightly.

Orion smiled at him, and gently returned the relic to its rightful place.

 _Agony_ shot through his frame, and he fell to his knees.

Knockout gasped, and moved to help the Prime, but Orion held up a shaking servo to stop him.

_Envelop it my child, fill it with your love, your hope, do not let its darkness fill you. Think of everything that has ever filled your spark with light, and you… in turn, shall be the light this universe needs._

Orion vented raggedly, he thought of training with Ironhide, he thought of laughing with Jazz. He thought of his love of reading, of learning about the world and peoples around him.

He thought of Alpha Trion, and how he always tried, even knowing of Orion’s fate, tried to keep him looking up, and kept him safe. He thought of Ratchet, how he always gave him life, and love, and never… ever gave up on him.

He thought of his team, how they cared for one another always. How they followed him even through his darkest moments, even when they were frightened. He thought of Arcee’s determination, and reluctant love. He thought of Bulkhead’s laughter, his love of Miko, and of his unbending loyalty. He thought of Bumblebee’s innocence, and bravery, his kindness and self-sacrificing nature.

He thought of the children. How they were all so different, but like his team they fought for each other, protected one another, they even tried, in their own small ways, to protect his team…

He thought of Soundwave. How kind, yet insecure the darker mech had once been. How he had slowly pulled out of that shell as he opened up to Orion. He thought of his smiles, his beautiful optics, his honor, and sincerity, his patience, and love.

He thought of his smiling sparkling. How the little spark had led him through the chaos in his spark, and reminded him that not everything held darkness, and even when it did, did it not just increase the brilliance of the happy memories?

And finally… he thought of his bonded… his mate… his love, Megatron. He thought of all that they had gone through, and how… somehow here at the end they had made it. Through all of the horrors, all the nightmares… here they were stronger than ever.

Orion smiled, his spark shinning brighter and brighter until even Knockout had to back away and shade his optics.

**_I love them… I love them all Primus._ **

_And they love you, my child. They are with you, and their light shall help give yours strength. No mech can take this journey alone. Hold on to the love they give you for your light does not shine nearly as bright without it._

Orion vented out, his optics glistening with coolant as he noticed there was no longer pain in his spark, just warmth, and light.

_Come my son, my brother grows ever stronger. Now is the time for destines to be revealed and redemption tested._

Orion’s consciousness returned to the present and he groaned brokenly, peering down at the concerned looking medic.

“Are… are you alright Prime? Your optics went all, flickery there for a klik.”

Orion smiled, “W*e**ll. B**rid**ge.”

Knockout’s optics widened as he suddenly remembered the chaos going on along the surface, “Oh yes. Follow me!”

Orion flexed his wings and rolled his shoulders as he followed the smaller mech, his frame still felt odd, and heavy but he was ready for what was to come. It was time to set things right, and begin their journey home.

…………………………..

Megatron flipped through the air, firing as he did so. He blasted through another of Unicron’s avatars, ripping through its chest and sending it back to the Earth it emerged from.

He flew over the Cybertronians beneath him, worry growing in his spark. **_They are all exhausted, and injured…We will not last much longer._**

Lugnut was in stasis, along with Bulkhead, and numerous vehicons lay dying or unconscious along the sands of Jasper. Megatron himself had received a decent amount of damage on his left side, and he had to pay certain attention to his back thruster. It was sputtering and sparking terribly, and he was certain it would go out at any moment, he just hoped he wouldn’t be too high from the surface when it finally failed.

Predaking and Soundwave circled the air with him. So far Soundwave seemed to have avoided getting too damaged, but Predaking was dripping energon freely, and his movements were becoming far more sluggish, and sloppy.

Megatron heard Strika scream from below as she attacked another large creature. She was suffering some from Lugnut’s injuries, and their echoes through their bond, but as always she was a stubborn femme, and would fight until the very last flicker of her spark.

Arcee and Bumblebee were working together mostly, given that their frames were rather small, their teamwork helped even the disadvantage, yet as the former warlord watched them, he could see them faltering as well.

 ** _We are falling, one by one, but it is happening… Orion, please love. We need you…_** Megatron was terrified that Orion would awaken far too late, and just come down to find all of his companions dead, or dying. **_No! Don’t think like that! Keep your helm straight, focus and.._**

“ARRRRRGH!” Megatron screamed as one of Unicron’s spawn slammed into his frame and he was knocked violently from the sky.

The world spun terribly, and he heard Soundwave call out to him. As he crashed into the sands his audials filled with and awful ringing.

“Uhhhh, frag it…” He moaned, lifting his servos to his bleeding helm. He looked up just in time to see the avatar’s pedes rising over his aching frame.

“MEGATRON!” Soundwave blasted at the pede desperately. His shots luckily pushing the approaching pede out of line with Megatron’s struggling frame, and the silver mech vented with relief as it fell just to the right of him.

He pulled his frame up weakly, well aware of the new cracks across his back plates. He looked up as the colossal avatar swayed above him, its massive form falling slowly as Soundwave and Predaking blasted its helm into dust.

He heard a rumbled behind him and he groaned turning to find another huge spawn already rebuilding there. **_We can’t keep doing this… Without the Matrix there will be no end to it all._**

Megatron tried to transform to fly up and blast the fragger but only a wretched grinding noise occurred, and he vented as pain filled his side. **_Frag IT! I can’t transform!_**

He lifted his cannon, blasting at the gigantic soldier as he ran. **:Soundwave, I can no longer transform. That leaves only you and Predaking as officers in the sky. Instruct the flight frame troops to focus all fire power on…:**

His comm was interrupted and he heard a peel of static fill his audial, and he looked up to watch Soundwave’s smoking frame spiraling out of the sky. “NO! Soundwave!”

He ran towards where the darker mech was falling towards, his spark hammering in his chassis. **_He was too high up! The impact is going to destroy HIM!_**

“PREDAKING! SOUNDWAVE!!!” Megatron screamed out as he ran.

The predacon was already flying towards Soundwave but even he was too far off. **_No, no, NOO!_**

Suddenly another roar split through the air, and a flash of white sped above Megatron, and he smiled as hope filled his spark. **_Orion._**

Orion thrust his pedes out as he neared his love’s falling frame, **_I have you love!_** He roared as he neared the Soundwave’s drone form, his claws reaching out and grasping onto his love’s wings just as they neared the ground.

They were too close to the ground to pull up again, but Orion had at least been able to slow their descent and as they neared the earth he pulled the Soundwave close to his larger frame. He wrapped himself around his love before crashing into the sands, their frames rolling and flipping along the desert floor before finally sliding to a stop.

Luckily Orion had not hit any trees or boulders, but the fall and rolling had left him with dozens of cuts and cracks. None of it seemed too serious he noticed as he achingly uncoiled his long frame from Soundwave.

The darker mech instantly transformed, his optics flickering as he looked at the predacon above him smiling. “Orion…”

Orion smiled a toothy fanged grin, and nuzzled his mighty helm against his love.

Megatron ran up to them, his faceplates smiling, “Took you long enough!” He called out laughing heartily as he did so. He ran up to Orion’s helm and quickly hugged the beast’s long muzzle.

The last time he had seen the mech up and alert had been a nightmare, he had almost lost his love once again. “Ohhh, Orion…I love you.” He wished he had more time to revel in the joy of seeing his mate up and alive, but shots, and screams around them pulled him from the joyful reunion.

Orion raised his helm looking at the chaos around them and he growled darkly. He stood, ignoring the pain that bloomed in his back as he transformed.

 **:Megatron, we need to get to the center of the planet.:** Orion commed him, and Megatron looked at his loved with narrowed optics.

**_Why is he using his comm?_ **

“Of course love, but I don’t want to leave them defenseless up here! They have no strength and the number of standing mechs is dwindling. Also, how will we enter his spark chamber without infecting one of us with dark energon?” Megatron cried out over the sounds of battle around him.

**:I can level the field for a moment, but it will only be for a short while. We need to get down to him though, it is the only way to cease this destruction. As for entering… I don’t … I don’t know. Perhaps I will be able to through Primus?:**

Megatron looked at his love, his optics concerned but spark trusting. Orion smiled at him, and sent a comm to all of the Cybertronians around him. **:Everyone, please… circle around me.:**

The bots around him stopped their fighting as the Prime’s voice filtered through their audials. They began running towards their Prime, the creatures following slowly after.

“HOLY SLAG PRIIIME!” Arcee sobbed as she ran full force at him, her bleeding arms encircling his waist. “Ohhh, oh thank Primus you are alive.”

Strika smiled at him, clapping his shoulder roughly as she carried her mate. “Bout fragging time mech.”

Orion smiled, **:I am sorry about worrying you all, and that I am late. There is no time to explain but, get down, and brace yourselves.:**

The joy that ran from the bot’s fields turned to surprise, but they all hunkered down around the Prime, Megatron smiling up at his love before crouching at his pedes.

Orion set his faceplates, throwing his arms out at his sides. He vented deeply, pulling at the strong energy that swirled around his spark. He felt the energy grow, and grow, his chest plates growing hot until finally he could take the heat no longer, and a little voice called to him.

 _“Now let it GO CARRIER!”_ The voice of his sparkling echoed in his helm excitedly.

With a ragged broken scream Orion released the power, and the world turned white around him.

Megatron shuttered his optics as light burst from his mate’s frame, blasting out around the gathered Cybertronians in a huge wave. There was the sound of exploding crashing earth and then as the light moved away, all grew silent.

Megaton blinked, his optics growing wide as he saw nothing but a sun stained desert around him. **_He destroyed them, all of them!? How the frag…?_**

“Uh**hh**hh,” Orion stumbled a bit, and Megatron immediately stood to catch the falling Prime.

“Orion! Orion, are you alright?” The silver mech asked as he held the smaller mech up.

Orion looked up at him, his optics flickering weakly as he smiled, “W**e**ll.”

The other bots stood their optics wide, and intakes gapping at the now clear terrain around them.

“What the frag was that!?” Strika stuttered out, staring at Orion.

 **:It will not last long, and now… he knows I still live. We need to hurry love.:** Orion vented exhaustedly and he commed Knockout.

 **:Knockout, please open a bridge here, its exiting location will be at the destination I gave you.:** Orion commed the medic, his frame swaying weakly as he did.

That last blast had taken far more energy from than he anticipated. **_I must be cautious, I forget I have just woken from almost being destroyed. Know you limitation Orion…_**

There was a moment of static until Knockout answered back. **:Ground bridge on its way.:**

Orion looked to Megatron, his optics still flickering as he spoke only to his love through their bond. **/Megatron, who should we bring?/**

Megatron lowered his helm in thought. **/Soundwave must be there. If we are to fall I will not have him suffer alone wondering if we will crawl out of that hole./**

Orion nodded a grim smile on his faceplates. **/So just like the beginning, it will be there four of us at the end./**

Megatron shook his, “You have that backwards my love, for last we four fought the evils in this universe that, was a tragic end, this… this shall be a glorious beginning.”

Soundwave smiled as he stepped closer to his trine, and Orion felt his spark hammer in love, and fear.

Megatron turned to look at the rest bots around them. “Orion, Soundwave, and I are going to make in to Unicron’s spark. The spawns will return soon, try and keep them back for as long as you can.”

Arcee stepped forwards, “Wait, what about the antibodies? Will you three be able to hold them off? How will you enter his spark chamber?”

Megatron looked at his trine members, “We will sort it out, just stay alive long enough for us to do so. These fleshlings do not need to suffer from our war any more than they already have.”

Orion looked up at his love is surprise; to hear Megatron speak with concern over the humans was something he had never dreamed of in his vorns of being Optimus, and yet had known was possible with Orion.

Arcee looked rather shocked as well, and smiled, determination in her optics, “We can do that. You mechs stay alive too!”

Megatron smirked back at her as the ground bridge flared to life behind him. He moved over to Orion, holding his arm as the weakened Prime and Soundwave followed suit.

The army of Cybertronians watched as the trine disappeared into the portal and down to the bowels of the earth.

Arcee bit her lower derma as the bridge fizzled away. **_Oh Primus… if you are watching us… please, please let this end well. We just want to go home… we may have made many mistakes, but give us another chance… If those two can find one another again, find hope, love, and trust… can we not all change?_**

She vented out, her frame growing tense as the terrain around them began to shake. She looked at the Cybertronians behind her, “Alright bots, every mech ready for round two?”

…………………………..

Ratchet sat curled into a ball within Unicron’s spark chamber. He vented brokenly, his broken frame trembling, and coolant falling from his optics as he thought of what had led him here.

After Orion.. no Unicron had entered his frame, it was like the most terrible fire had filled him. Anger, agony, fury, spite, and darkness had entered his spark and frame, and there had been nothing he do about all of it.

Well, he was allowed to watch he thought bitterly. Allowed to watch as his servo transformed to a blade, watch as it swung downwards, feel it enter the mech he saw as his own son, and break it off in his frame.

Ratchet moaned as images of Orion’s energon pooling around him filled his processor’s optic. His knees were still caked with wretched stuff.

After he had killed Orion, he lost track of what was happening. He knew he had laughed at Megatron at some point, and walked right past poor Knockout, making his way to the ground bridge. Unfortunately there had been two vehicons standing guard at the bridge control, and he had destroyed them quickly too. Ratchet hadn’t even gotten to know their designations during his time on the Nemesis, and now… their energon was on his servos.

“Ohhh…” He whimpered, his shaking filthy servos rising to his faceplates. He had felt a similar guilt once before, when he had experimented with synthetic energon. He had taken so many sparks that day, ruthlessly, without care… it had haunted him since. He was a medic, a mech sworn to preserve life, no matter the side… and yet still that wretched day could hold no weight over stabbing Orion.

 ** _I killed him… I killed my son. He… he fought Unicron, controlled himself and I… I just watched it happen…_** He sobbed harder, his frame feeling heated and in agony.

Once he had bridged down to Unicron, he had easily gotten into his spark chamber and walked up to the gigantic ominous spark. Unicron had reconnected with himself then, downloading the information it had found in Orion as his wretched power left Ratchet’s frame.

The medic had collapsed then, apparently the God had no concern for him being there now, and no use… it had what it needed.

So here he lay, wrapped in his despair as the earth shook around him. **_At least this will be the end… Now that Ori… ahhh. Orion is gone… there is no hope… no light… oh Primus… Primus… forgive me…_**

“Forgive me… ohhh… my little one… my son… forgive meeeee….”  Ratchet curled tighter, his servos crushing his plating as he held onto himself.

He suddenly heard Unicron laugh darkly, “I have done it!”

Ratchet moaned as he tried to stay as small as possible, but he could feel the sickly, cold tendrils of Unicron’s power flowing over him.

“Do not fear mech, I am giving you a great honor this day.”

Ratchet whimpered as he felt his legs slowly being pulled out, “Nooo… please… leave me aloooone!” Me cried out, his legs kicking at the purple wisps.

“Be still!” Unicron’s voice yelled out, and Ratchet felt his frame be pressed down flat from the mist that surrounded him.

The medic groaned at the overwhelming weight that held him, the energy in the cloud was crackling along his frame painfully forcing his frame to twitch under its power.

**_What is he doing!? What more could he possibly take from me?_ **

“I am not taking anything creature, I am giving.”

Ratchet watched, horror filling his optics as his broken chest plates were pulled open. He struggled harder then, pushing and pulling against the cloud above him, only to see a small, purple light coming closer.

“Is it not fitting, as I have taken a child from you this day, that I should give you another?” Unicron’s booming voice began to laugh as the small light hovered above Ratchet’s spark chamber.

Were it not filed with such malice, and hate, the medic would have thought the little spark beautiful, as it was, he felt utter terror fill his spark as the little thing lowered to his spark chamber.

“NOOOOO! NOOO! NO, I Will NOT BE THE CARRIER OF YOUR SICK SPAWN!” Ratchet screamed and thrashed, his spark hammering even as its energies slowly reached out for the spark above it. Unicron’s newly made spark also reached out for him, little trails of energy gently brushing at Ratchet’s until with a bloom of light, they were connected.

“NOOOOOOO! Ohhh..ohhh nooo…no please!” Ratchet sobbed openly now, he could feel the little spark within him swirling around in worry as it worked through its Carrier's distress.

“HA HA HA, yes little creature. You shall be a perfect vessel form my child. Fill it with your despair, your hate and loss!” Unicron laughed as he sent a jolt of dark energy over the sobbing mech, causing him to cry out.

“I shall help you my slave, for I shall fill you with despair every cycle until he is born. Just as a good Sire should.”

Ratchet screamed as more energy ripped through his frame. His vision began to fade thankfully, and he longingly pulled back, desperate for the simplicity of stasis.

As he faded, agony filling his frame, and his new sparkling fluttering within his chamber, he couldn’t help but think.   ** _I deserve this. I deserve all of this… I who damned the Universe… by taking away its light…._**


	35. The Offer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME! I am sorry it has been so long to update. I got going on things annnd this story will always be my baby, so I wanna make sure I don't half-ass it, ESPECIALLY since it is reaching its END! SOBS! Only a few more chapters... Anywho, hope you enjoy, sorry for errors and YAY!

Megatron groaned miserably as the familiar inner pathways of Unicron filled his vision when they stepped out of the bridge. Next to him Orion did the same.

The Prime looked around wearily, disgust plain on his faceplates. **:I had truly hoped to never be here again.:** Orion commed to both Soundwave and Megatron, it was easier than talking given his vocalizer was still glitching

The silver mech nodded as he walked, but Soundwave just stared around him in wonder. “This is incredible! To be inside of a being of this size… Could you imagine if he were to wake completely and transform?”

Both Orion and Megatron looked at the darker mech their optics wide.

“Please Soundwave, let’s not jinx ourselves before we even get in there.” Megatron said incredulously.

Orion smiled at his mate. **:I didn’t think you were superstitious.:**

Megatron laughed bitterly, “Orion, loving you has led me to believe many things I used to consider fables. I mean, we are in fact in the body of a god at the moment, and not just for the first time. Like you said, I never expected to be here a… wait.” The silver mech stopped walking suddenly and looked down at Orion, his optics growing wider as they filled with something that looked like both awe, and terror.

Orion tilted his helm up at the silver mech. **:Megatron? What is wrong love?:**

“You… You remember?” The silver mech whispered out, his spark hammering in his chassis.

Soundwave’s optics widened as well as he stared at Orion with the same kind of astonishment, and fear.

Orion nodded, a small smile forming on his faceplates. **:I do, yes. Everything. I… There is much to… to speak of, and… much has occurred recently, yet for now let us focus, yes? Let’s destroy this monster so that we can have a future to have that conversation in my loves.:**

The two Decepticons looked at one another as Orion continued forwards, Megatron shaking his helm, “That is going to be one frag of a conversation.” He said bitterly as he followed the Prime.

Soundwave bit his lower derma and followed as well. He was suddenly terrified of what Orion would think of them. For him to remember _everything_ , from Orion and Optimus’s time…  How did they appear to him now… after the war and… so much death…

Soundwave remembered the night after the Senate, the night that had changed _everything_ so horrendously, curling up in that little crystal garden, the night sky orange from the flames of his bombs. It was there, his frame broken, and spark shattered that he had first prayed to Orion.

Thinking the smaller mech was then, one with the All Spark, Soundwave had taken a moment. He had placed Megatron’s broken frame down next to him before collapsing down next to him. His own frame had been exhausted both by their escape, but also from all that had been so wretchedly ripped from him, and he had prayed to Orion, asking his love… if he could forgive them for what they were going to become. If Orion would be able to forgive them for remaking the world, the world Orion once loved so dearly, with fire…

As he looked up at the white Prime he realized now, now he had the opportunity to see if that forgiveness would be given. Would he still love them? Would he only see what they had become, would he be disappointed? Would he be angry? Would it destroy everything they had recovered?

The fact that they had no time to even speak of this was infuriating yet the darker mech had to laugh bitterly. **_Will we always be led by fate first, and dreams second?_**

Soundwave shook his helm as he vented and tried to focus on what was most important now, destroying Unicron. He could have these fears after, when the world was safe once again. He peered up at his leader, and found the silver mech frowning, his optics dim and contemplative. **_He is afraid as well…_**

Soundwave commed the silver mech privately. **:Megatron, you need to focus.:**

The larger mech looked over at him, his optics narrowed. **:I am fine Soundwave, and I am focused.:**

Soundwave sighed. **:I mean it Megatron, now is not the time to instill doubt in yourself. Focus.:**

Megatron glared at him, but nodded, “Orion, we are getting to the area the anti-bodies attacked us last time. We should pause for a moment and discuss how we are going to enter his spark chamber though, I think we know how it must be done.”

Orion spun so fast his optics filled with static and Soundwave had to rush forwards to keep him from falling. “A**rg*hh,” He moaned out brokenly as he grabbed his helm. The Prime berated himself for once again, forgetting he had just come back to life… in essence. **_I need to remember my limitations!_**

When his optics cleared he glared at Megatron. **:No! Megatron, we have had enough of us with Unicron’s taint. I will try with Primus’s power…:**

“Orion, what if that does not work and we are surrounded by _thousands_ of anti-bodies? We hardly made it last time and then we had your team, _and_ we were all in far better shape. There is dark energon right here, and I don’t want to get all the way to the chamber, find out your power isn’t enough, and have to rush to stab it into myself. It is _not_ a pleasant experience, and it will take a moment to adjust to the changes. I cannot do that while being attacked.” The silver mech glared down at his mate just as stubbornly.

The Prime vented angrily, his spark and processor reeling at the thought of Megatron having dark energy running through his fuel lines once again, but found himself nodding.

 He knew Megatron was right, if he couldn’t get the chamber open they would be wasting precious time, and energy waiting for Megatron to infect himself. He was terrified though of the dark energon’s effects on his mate, and with Unicron far more into his _awakening_ than last time, his influence would also be far greater.

Megatron nodded and walked over to one of the numerous crystal patches that lined the tunnel they were walking through. He reached down and grabbed ahold of one of the smaller crystals, hissing at its wretched cold. He grunted as he pulled back, and snapped it from its place.

The energon pulsed in his servos, its frigid beauty glowing sickly up at him. Megatron looked up and found both Orion and Soundwave looking at him, sorrow and concern fleeting through there optics. “Do not be afraid, I handled it before, I can do it again… plus,” Megatron smiled at Orion, his servo brushing against the smaller mech’s helm, “I have you to purify me if need be”

Orion leaned into his servo, yet his optics stared at the dark energon in disgust. **:Megatron, even I still do not know what I can and cannot accomplish. It is all reactionary, love… just… arrrgh. I don’t want to lose you!:**

Megatron smiled, “I know, but we have limited choices and honestly… huh, I understand now. I understand the value of life, and I understand the pain of loss…” The larger mech looked away for a moment, his optics dim. “Orion, I am sorry, for everything I have done, what I… How far I fell, from what I had once set out to be. I was wrong, and I was selfish, where… where all _you_ have ever been was giving.”

He turned back to the smaller mech, his optics scanning over his love’s frame. He saw the scar left by Ratchet/Unicron, he scanned over his love’s glorious wings, he smiled at his tail. “Orion so many times you have given yourself for others. Ever since the beginning. I mean… look at you, love. You have sacrificed everything and _still_ you stand and fight. You fight for a world you do not belong to, a species mostly unknown. You fight for mechs that have hurt you wretchedly, and a universe that you haven’t even been able to explore to the fullest, or even _knows_ what you have done for it. You are willing to give up _all_ of yourself, and not for accolades, or praise, just because _in your spark_ you simply _care_. You care. I had forgotten how to care, once you and our sparkling… When I thought… but I was wrong.”

Megatron vented and he looked at the dark energon, its purple glow reflecting in his optics, “It is time I start caring again, that _I_ sacrifice, and Orion… I do so willingly. It is not because you or Soundwave, or _my dreams_ , it is because… because I care. I care about Ratchet, I care about my crew, yours, even… even those little flesh… umm children. I care, and honestly… I think I always have, I just was too broken, foolish, and I became blinded by my own pain, and anger. I… I didn’t even give Optimus… YOU, a moment when you awoke. I just…”

The Prime stared at his love, his optics wide and spark whirling. He placed his servo on Megatron’s arm softly. **:I know... I know you care, I… I have always known. As Orion, and Optimus… that is what started all of this wasn’t it? That fateful night, where I couldn’t let you fall… That is why you were _my_ light. Where I had to be the light to so many, I could… I could come to you, and Soundwave, and be held, be small.:**

Megatron nodded, his optics going to Soundwave to find the darker mech smiling softly, “I love you both, if I get lost… just remember, that is what I need to pull me back.” He backed away as he opened his spark chamber.

Orion vented raggedly, he wanted to turn away, he didn’t want to see Megatron do this to himself, yet he couldn’t look away. Megatron had seen him hurt, or sacrifice himself plenty of times… he could as well.

Megatron set his faceplates, his optics narrowing as he vented, once… twice… and _slammed_ the crystal into him. “AhhhhhaaaaaAAAAARRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHH!” The sliver mech _ROARED_ as ice cold agony erupted through his spark.

Orion gasped and he collapsed to his knees as Megatron did. He could feel only a portion of what his love was going through but even that was enough to send him to the ground.

“Orion!” Soundwave knelt next to him as Megatron continued to scream. He looked back at his leader his optics narrowed in confusion. “I don’t recall it hurting him so badly last time!” He cried over the larger mech.

Orion nodded, his frame ached everywhere. **:Unicron wasn’t awake then, and not nearly as aware as he is now. We need to do this all quickly now! It will only be a matter of time before Unicron can overwhelm him!:**

Megatron’s screams finally eased and he knelt there, his chassis smoking and vents heaving raggedly.

“Megatron?” Soundwave called to him hesitantly.

The silver mech growled, and lifted his helm his purple optics blazing. “Let’s go.” He grunted out as he picked up his pain ridden frame.

Orion nodded to Soundwave, and the smaller mech helped pick him up. Between the earlier roll after catching Soundwave, the use of power with Unicron’s avatars, and the echoes of pain coming from his bond, Orion felt awful, and far weaker than he wanted to admit.

The trio continued walking down the tunnel finally emerging out into the open space before the spark chamber.

“They are coming.” Megatron said gruffly, his servos twitching as he tried to control the raging power within him. So far he hadn’t felt Unicron’s consciousness, but he knew it wouldn’t be long.

He turned back to his trine. “HURRY!”

Orion and Soundwave separated as they began to run across the vein they were on, when suddenly the air filled with a familiar buzzing sound.

Orion groaned as he saw the anti-bodies begin to swarm all around them. **:Megatron open the door! Soundwave and I will hold them off for now!:**

The Prime roared as he transformed, his gears, and cables spinning around his spark as he became his predacon form. He pushed his tired frame into the air, and allowed his bestial fury to fill him as he flew at the smaller drones. **_Protect MATES!_**

His long silvery frame spun and whirled as the first wave of anti-bodies neared him, he felt the burn rise in his chest before his long muzzle opened and a barrage of flames shot out quickly eliminating numerous rows of the creatures.

Soundwave stayed near Megatron as he released Laserbeak and the two of them worked to defend the large mech as he ran to the entrance to the spark chamber.

Megatron shot a few of the irritating creatures as he ran, his spark pounding in his chassis. **_Need to make it in quickly, he… he is so much str…stronger this time!_**

A sudden flare of agony ripped through his frame and his vision blurred as Unicron’s booming laughter filled his helm. _“HAHAHA, you FOOL! You invite me back into your spark so readily! Did not learn last time! I HAVE and you shall NOT SUCCEED!”_

“ARRRRGH!” Megatron stumbled, almost falling as his processor and spark blazed white hot. **_NOOO! PUSH FORWARDS! Do not let him CONTROL YOU!_**

“UHHHHHH, YOU ARE THE FOOL UNICRON! You threatened my MATE, MY FAMILY! Last time someone hurt them, I destroyed a WORLD, and a GOD!” He roared as he shook his helm to clear it, his vents growing more ragged. Somewhere above him he heard Orion growl in pain, yet he had to stay focused. Right now all that mattered was opening the chamber!

He snarled as he pushed himself faster and faster, his cannon burning as hot as his frame as he continued firing at the anti-bodies. Finally he made it to the chamber’s entrance and he placed his shaking servos against it.

 ** _Open… OPEN DAMN YOOOOOU!_** He felt the surface rumble under him, and he roared as he pushed more of Unicron’s power into it. “OPEEEENNNN!”

A terrible roar sounded behind him, and Megatron felt the vein he stood on rumble as something crashed into it. When he felt a new kind of agony fill his frame, he fought his rising panic. **_ORION!? Orion is hurt I… FRAG IT FOCUS! OPEN YOU FRAGGIN PIECE OF FIL…_** Suddenly the chamber’s wall shook and the wall finally began to move aside. **_YES! YES MOOOVE!_**

When the opening was big enough Megatron turned behind him. Orion was standing now, though one of his back legs was lifted in a limp, and one of his wings was twisted at a terribly awkward angle, it was clear it was broken.

“ORION, SOUNDWAVE! NOW!” Megatron screamed out, his spark felt like it was on fire now, and he wasn’t sure how long he would be able to keep control of himself.

The white predacon looked at him weakly, and began half running half limping closer. Soundwave was also making his way towards them, he too was injured. His shoulder was smoking, and his back had taken a decent blow that melted his plates down to some of his protoform. He called Laserbeak back to him, the little symbiote spinning and dancing through the anti-bodies easily before attaching to the darker mech’s chest once again.

Megatron growled, **_They are taking too long!_** He continued firing at the numerous creatures, his control waning more and more as time went. Finally Soundwave ran past him, and soon after Orion.

Megatron roared as he sent a heavy barrage of fire out before stepping inside, allowing the wall to close once again.

For a moment, there was no sound but ragged venting, and moans of pain

Orion transformed with a hiss, and promptly fell to the floor. “U**uhh*hh*,” He whimpered as he tried to push himself up. **_Need to get up, need to move… can..can’t stop…_**

_BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!_

All three bots looked at the wall they had just entered through, watching as it vibrated as the creatures outside of it began firing upon the outer surface.

“It won’t hold them forever.” Soundwave vented out tiredly.

“Arrrgh, we need to _move!_ ” Megatron growled out as he ran up next to Orion. “Can’t stop! GET UP!” He yelled as he thrust his arms under Orion’s arms and hauled him to his pedes.

The Prime moaned, his optics flickering as he tried to stand, but his left leg was a mangled mess, and he almost fell back to the ground.

“NO! TIME TO MOVE, PRIME!” Megatron cried as he began dragging the smaller mech forwards.

Soundwave growled, “Megatron! Not so roughly! He is bleeding every…”

“SHUT UP, SOUNDWAVE! NO TIME! I can feel UNICRON he…ahhh… Optimus can’t STOP!” He continued to haul the groaning Prime forwards, Orion’s broken wing, and ruined leg dragging along the ground limply.

Soundwave limped after him, his fear for his leader growing. It was clear he was losing control, and if they had to fight him, as well as Unicron… His optics fell to Orion, the white mech was a mess, and bleeding heavily. **_Ohh… please let us make it out of here together… alive…_**

They suddenly made their way to the central chamber, a great glowing spark crackled and sparked in the middle, and haunting laughter echoed around them.

 _“YOU FOOLISH PRIME! I should have known you would have survived! YOU HAVE AN IRRITATING HABIT OF NEVER DYING!”_ Unicron’s booming voice shook the chamber around them.

Megatron gritted his denta, his frame was shaking terribly now, and he could hardly hold onto Orion. **_NO! Gotta keep moving, keep…_**

“R*A**T*CH*T!” Orion yelled as he spied the orange and white mech’s inert frame towards the edge of the chamber.

Megatron growled in frustration. **_Arrrgh, one more DISTRACTION!_** “Soundwave see to the medic I will take Orion!”

Soundwave nodded and hobbled over to the older mech, Orion’s fear for the medic growing as he saw his ruined chestplates.

Orion turned his helm, his white optics flickering wearily as he looked up to his love. **:Megatron, bring me to the edge of th…:**

Blinding pain filled Orion’s spark and he was suddenly dropped to the floor.

“Uuuugh…” He moaned out, his spark freezing when he heard Megatron scream horribly behind him. He grunted as he tried to move, his helm turning back to find Megatron bent over, his servos ripping into his helm madly.

“ARRRRRRGHHHHHHHHH NOOOOOooooaaaha _haha… HAHAHAHA! FOOLS!”_

Both Orion and Soundwave stared in horror as an inky purple field of light enveloped Megatron, and the larger mech stood tall, his back arching as he laughed.

Megatron… or Unicron now, lowered his helm, his wicked optics staring down at Orion hungrily. _“Foolish child of Primus! You think you can destroy me!? Through the knowledge I obtained from you, I shall always exist! Your Sire already carries the first of my spawn!”_

Orion snarled as he forced himself up. He was careful to not put too much weight on his left leg, and he transformed his servos. “Your chaos ends here, Unicron. I assure you of that! This planet, this _universe_  deserves better than the darkness you promise it.”

Unicron laughed harder, _“Lyrical nonsense from a feeble deity. You can hardly stand, child of Primus, and I shall finally witness the complete and utter obliteration of my brother once and for all.”_ Unicron sneered wickedly twisting Megatron’s face to an expression far darker than Orion had never seen on the other mech. _“And I shall finish it using your own lover’s frame.”_

“NOOO!” Soundwave’s voice rang out as the smaller mech jumped onto Megatron’s back, his tendrils quickly wrapping around the larger mech’s limbs.

Orion’s optics widened as he began to shoot at Megatron’s legs. He didn’t want to do serious damage to the larger mech, yet he needed to subdue him long enough…

“NO! I have him, Orion! USE THE MATRIX!” Soundwave cried as Megatron screamed from under him.

 _“You think you can restrain me, ME!?”_ Unicron roared as he began forcing his arms up towards Soundwave’s helm. _“I shall crush your helm until it POPS between my servos, PARASITE!”_

Orion hesitated, he knew Soundwave couldn’t hold the larger mech’s arms down for long, and to have Soundwave die, by Megatron’s servos… He growled as he began shooting at his love once again.

Soundwave watched Orion stumble closer and both relief and fury filled his spark. **_DAMNIT ORION! Don’t worry about m…_** He froze as Unicron’s servos reached his helm, their claws digging at him as they tried to work their way higher.

“NOOOOO!” Orion screamed as he fired a low charged shot right into the center of Megatron’s chassis. The shot seemed to stun the mad mech enough to allow Soundwave to pull his arms down further, the darker mech’s helm bleeding from numerous gashes.

Orion transformed his servo to a sword just as Unicron’s monstrous spark emitted a wave of dark energy. Both he and Soundwave screamed from its power, Orion falling to his knees, and Soundwave limply collapsing to the ground in a heap.

 _“AHHHHAHAHAHAHAHA I told you! This is futile!”_ Megatron laughed wickedly as he walked towards Orion’s heaving frame.

The Prime forced his shaking frame up once more, his processor reeling. **_WHAT DO I DO? What can I do!?_** He raised his blade swinging at the larger mech desperately.

Mega.. Unicron stomped up to him, easily knocking away Orion’s weak blows, and grabbed onto the Prime’s throat pulling him close. _“Your spark is MINE, FALSE GOD!”_

Orion did the only thing he could, and what he felt his spark led him to do… He gathered as much of the power that whirled within him as he could, and pressed his servo against his mate’s chest plates. He brought his dim flickering optics up to Megatron’s blazing purple ones. **_Come back to me love… come back…_**

With the last of his strength he pushed his power forwards. He pushed all of his love, his patience, his joys, and hope deep past the freezing shell of darkness, forcing his light to seek beyond the chaos and agony and settle deep  into the core of his love’s spark. **_Come back to me… I know you are in there… Please my love… please, Megatronus…_**

Blazing light surrounded the two mechs, yet it was not only shinning off of their frames, but within their sparks. The light grew brighter, and brighter warming Megatron’s icy tainted plating, and easing the agony in his spark.

 _“NOOOOOOOO!”_ Unicron screamed as he felt his hold on Megatron’s spark falter, and start to burn away.  

The power left Orion, growing within his love until finally, the light EXPLODED out around the chamber, the blast flowing over all in its path. Soundwave and Ratchet were both enveloped in the wave, their frames absorbing the brilliance readily, and their injuries healing almost instantly as the wonder, the _power_ of Primus washed over them.

The wave washed over Unicron’s spark as well, but the god was far less susceptible to the power, and roared as he forced his own energy to shield him from the worst of the blast. Had the Prime not been so weak already, and his power so diminished, it could have ended Unicron’s wickedness, but for now it merely weakened him.

Finally the light dissipated, and both Megatron and Orion fell to the ground.

……………………..

Megatron groaned as he opened his optics, his processor felt foggy and he tried to remember where he was. **_Frag it… what…UNICRON!_**

The silver mech vented out as he stared up at the swirling mass of energy above him. He couldn’t be certain, but it definitely looked smaller. **_What… what happened, where is…_**

Megatron looked around just to find Orion’s mangled form a few feet from him yet something was wrong. Though the mech retained his wings, and tail, he was no longer white… just his normal red and blue color… **_What? What happened to him?_**

Megatron shook his helm and stumbled over to his love. Orion’s frame was face-down, and bleeding profusely as he approached. “Orion…” Megatron called to the still mech, he was slightly aware of other moans that sounded throughout the chamber, and well as the growing rumble from Unicron’s apparently weakened spark.

“Orion…” Megatron picked up the smaller mech’s frame, and gently turned him over. Orion’s optics were shuttered and he vents hitched unevenly.

“Megatron?” Soundwave’s voice came from behind him, the darker mech walked up two his leader gasping as he saw the state Orion was in. “What has happened? Why, why has he reverted to…”

The rumble behind them grew louder, and a booming voice began to laugh once more.

“It doesn’t matter! We need to get to get him up! Orion! Orion, wake up!” Megatron lifted the smaller mech, relief flowing through him as Orion’s optics opened slightly.

“Arr*rrr**gh,” The Prime moaned out. His frame was burning terribly, and he couldn’t focus his optics. He was fairly certain he heard Megatron yelling something at him, but he couldn’t decipher the words.

“Orion! Come on, love. You can’t rest yet, you need to use the Matrix frag it!” Megatron hauled the mech up, trying to get the Prime to open his chest plates. “ORION, DAMNIT! FOCUS! Unicron is still here! You need to…”

The smaller mech merely lolled in his arms, his frame limp, and optics half shuttered.

Soundwave flinched as he heard Unicron roar, “Megatron! What if he can’t…”

“HE HAS TO!” The silver mech yelled, finally giving up and lying the prime down carefully. He stepped over his smaller frame, and went to reach for Orion’s chest plates when suddenly, they opened on their own.

“What? Oh, finally!” Megatron stepped back over Orion’s frame, readying to lift the Prime up once more when he saw the Matrix begin to lift from Orion’s chest.

“What the frag?” Megatron felt his spark clench, was Orion dying? Yet, he didn’t feel any pain in _his_ spark, at least none other than what  was felt because of his love’s current injuries, so it couldn’t be that. He looked up towards his love’s optics to find them closed; apparently the mech had fallen to emergency stasis.

A sudden and unexpected voice filtered through his helm then.

_Megatronus of Kaon, you have been chosen…_

Megatron stared at the Matrix, his optics bulging as he watched the accursed relic float above Orion, and he grabbed at his helm. **_You have to be FUCKING kidding me…._**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Btw... I normally answer comments right before I post a new chapter, so if you get a message it normally means YAY CHAPTER! Just saying. YAY


	36. Divine Contention

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A discussion with a god. Orion, after falling into stasis, finds himself in the chamber of the Primes. Primus is there and wonders why Cybertronians should deserve redemption.... It is not a chapter filled with explosives and flare, but some important issues are addressed that will bleed into the last few chapters! Just a warning. :)Sorry for errors... This whole thing is setting up for future events. *.*

-After Orion fell into emergency stasis-

Orion unshuttered his optics to find himself staring up at the underside of a very familiar arch, one that glowed white and silver, and had golden glyphs upon it, and he sighed.  ** _The council room of the Thirteen? Wh…why am I here?_**

The Prime groaned as he sat up, amazed and relieved that his frame did not hurt nearly as badly as it did a moment a…  ** _WAIT UNICRON! WHAT HAPPENED!? Did I fail?_**

Panic settled in his spark as he pushed himself up and frantically looked around only to discover he was surrounded by a thick fog. His optics narrowed in concern and as he began walking slowly through the arch, and surrounding mists, he also realized how light his frame felt.

He looked down to find he was in his frame he had as Orion Pax, well… originally, for it lacked the numerous scars, and poor welds that frame had had in the end.  ** _What is going on? A vision? Death? I don’t understand…_**

He heard something moving before him, a shuffling of sorts, and clanks of metal. He tried to pierce through the thick white fog with his optics, but still could only see a few feet ahead of him.

Venting warily he continued his slow walk into the chamber of the Primes. He followed the sounds of movement, that being the only thing that led him. Orion was almost where the sound originated when his pede unexpectedly slipped. He gasped as he fought to steady himself and once he balanced out he looked to the floor wondering what he had slipped on. His optics grew wide as he saw deep pool of half dried energon under him.

 ** _Energon! In the CHAMBER of…_**  Suddenly he remembered Solus telling them of the attack from Megatronus. He found himself disappointed that he had forgotten in a way, yet with everything that had occurred, he supposed it was expected.

Suddenly his spark ached as he thought of his first mentor.  The first mech to ever hold him, the one that took on the duty of raising him, a job he never asked for, wasn’t prepared to do, but always tried his best… 

“Trion…” Orion whispered brokenly his helm shifting back and forth as he started to move faster through the chamber, his pedes constantly slipping in the seemingly endless pool of energon. He didn’t know where he was walking, or if he would be able to find the older mech, but he felt like he had to try!

The clanking was still going on behind him somewhere and he suspected that he should have continued following it, but for some reason his spark was leading him in the opposite direction. As he walked, slipping now and then he felt his spark pulse faster and faster, both in fear of  _what_  he would find of Trion, and if he _wouldn’t_  find his oldest friend.

Suddenly it seemed the fog lifted a bit more, and he could see perhaps ten feet ahead of him, and there, lying in the deep shimmering pool of energon lay his friend.

“Trion!” Orion called out as he began running. He didn’t know why he ran, he knew the mech was gone, that there was nothing he could do for him, but he couldn’t stop.

He slipped and fell hard onto the floor, energon splashing up around him as he landed. With a sob he tried to wipe some that had splashed onto his faceplates away, yet his servos were covered as well, and he only smeared more along his helm.

“N…No! Nooo!” Desperation, disgust, sorrow, and hopelessness filled his spark as he pushed himself to his knees. He tried to wipe the energon away, but it covered his chassis, his legs, servos, helm…

Suddenly he felt a warm servo cover his shoulder and he whipped his helm up to find an unknown femme standing above him. She didn’t look like a bot that belonged in the chamber of the Primes… she had simple white and blue plating all of which had scratches and scars over it. She was average height and build, but it was her optics that truly stood apart.

Her white optics glowed with depth, wisdom, sorrow, love, and an otherworldly nature that Orion found himself unable to pull away from.

She smiled sadly at him, her magnificent optics growing more sorrowful as she did so. “Hello, my son.”

That pulled him from the depths of her optics, and he blinked in surprise. “Primus?” He whispered out, his voice sounding far less deep than it had just a short time ago.

She smiled wider, but it still held sadness. “Come, we shall say goodbye together.”

She extended her servo and Orion lifted his dripping one into hers. She didn’t seem to notice the energon as she helped him to his pedes. Together the two of them made their way towards Trion’s broken frame. It seemed someone had arranged the old mech into a more respectable layout, and Orion was fairly certain it was Primus.

She looked at him and nodded, “Yes. I knew you would want to see him, so he was the first I arranged.”

Orion nodded but his optics were scanning over the older mech.  ** _He was ripped apart…_**

When he got close enough he fell to his knees, ignoring the feeling of his mentor’s energon soaking between his joints. “Ohhh Trion… You deserved so much better.” He placed his servo over the dead mech’s chassis and bowed his helm.

Primus watched him silently, allowing the young Prime a moment, her own helm lowered in respect for the fallen Prime.

Orion vented slowly, his servos shaking as they lay over his mentor’s plating. “He should have never done this to you Trion… I am so sorry. He… he redeemed himself in the end though, you would have been proud of him… Still, to see you like this…” The Youngest Prime shook his helm, he peered around the fog covered chamber wondering where the rest of the Prime’s corpses might be. He felt grateful that he didn’t need to see them.

Yes, they had not been at their best last he saw them, but to fall like this…

Finally Orion raised his helm, his optics dripping with coolant as he looked back up at Primus only to find her frame had changed, now there stood a blue mech there. He had a hulking frame of a grounder, and where the femme’s frame had been littered with scars, his was pristine and shiny, but the optics remained just as wondrous and white as before.

“Wh…what?” Orion stared at the larger mech in confusion.

“I have no true form beyond Cybertron my son, and in essence, I am all of my creations.” The mech said, a small sad smile on his faceplates.

Orion nodded numbly, peering around him once again in confusion, “Primus, why am I here? Last I knew… I need to get back Unicron is…

Primus nodded, his optics growing dimmer, “I know the chaos my brother has wrought, but do not fear, time here is not the same as it is in on Earth. You are still just a moment past falling into stasis, Orion.”

The smaller mech vented out in relief, turning his helm back to Trion for a klik, “So… if you have frozen our time here, I imagine it is because you wish to discuss something important?” He turned his helm back to Primus to find a small sparkling standing next to him.

The little mech nodded, “Let us move away from this sorrow for a moment?” The sparkling held out one of his little servos and Orion grasped it as he forced himself up.

The two walked through the fog back to the arch way Orion had awoken under.

Primus gestured to the clean floor, “Sit my son, and let us speak.”

Orion nodded and grimly set himself down, his optics widened slightly as he realized his frame was suddenly clean, but given what he had been through over his lifetime, he wasn’t all that surprised. He looked back over to Primus to find an old mech sitting before him.

“Orion, I have brought you here because there is an important choice that must be made soon, an unexpected, yet significant opportunity to truly grasp whether my creations are worthy of the restoration of Cybertron. You see my child, Cybertron can never be truly healed, if the poison that destroyed it remains.”

Orion felt a sliver of worry filter through his spark. Was Primus reconsidering giving them the power to heal their home, and what did he mean poison? “Poison that destroyed it? Do you mean Megatron?”

Primus looked at him, the old mech’s shinning optics narrowed in consideration, “In a way yes, but more the overall darkness that had taken over so many of my creations in the end, Megatron namely among them. He has done many evils, and he now must face something, something he has only begun to unravel,  _himself_ and what is truly within his spark.” Primus vented out wearily, and rubbed at his helm. “You see my son, I must know if my creations have learned from the destruction they have wrought.  I shall do this by testing what was once the darkest spark amongst them.”

The old mech vented looking towards the fog filled chamber his optics growing as clouded as the air before him, “I plan to offer Megatron the Matrix of Leadership, so that he may destroy Unicron. He will have to choose to accept this responsibility, not out of spite and pride as he did the last time he faced my brother, but out of selfless sacrifice for innocents and guilty alike.”

Orion looked at Primus his optics wide and shook his helm, “I do not understand. Primus… I can do this, I can defeat Unicron. Is that not what I was created for, to protect Cybertronians? Why must he… I can do this, no other needs to take this responsibility!” Fear filled his spark as he thought of Megatron forcing himself to accept the Matrix. He thought of everything he himself had gone through in becoming a Matrix bearer, and he felt a stab of resentment filter through his spark. Yes, they now knew of the consequences in accepting it, the memory loss, different identity, name…. and broken bond. Yet, that did not mean that it would make it easier to accept, if anything _knowing_  would make it worse.

Primus smiled at him, and his optics shone with pride and sorrow, “I know my child, I know of  _your_ honor and yet… we stand at a juncture of change and promise. If we are to restore Cybertron after this, let it be in a new age for Cybertronians, one of peace, brotherhood, love, and trust. It must begin with those that began the end…”

The Prime scowled for a moment, his spark tight within its chamber. “We were only the beginning because of …”

 Primus nodded sadly, his form becoming blurred as it shifted once more, becoming a beautiful youngling femme. Her optics held deep sorrow as she spoke, “I foresaw the destruction of Cybertron, long before I created you. My creations were losing their way, Primes and Cybertronians alike. You personally have experienced both the corruption of Cybertron’s citizens, and its Primes… Now… you and your love must save them once more… be the light for your people my son, you  _and_  your mate. Megatron MUST atone for his crimes. He must make a hard choice… for if the poison in his spark remains... if the cycle of destruction and hate will just begin once more, what are we truly fighting for?”

Orion vented out, his spark heavy with worry, “Primus, Megatron… Megatron… he despises the Matrix. He blames it for losing me. He will never agree…”

The femme looked at him, her faceplates even, stoic _,_ “Then… if he cannot sacrifice, bare his spark, face his crimes and push aside his own desires and dreams to help save the universe, to help others than himself… is it all not lost?”

Orion felt his spark clench tighter as he thought of his mate and all the love he had ever given… as well the pain. “What if… what if he isn’t strong enough… so much has befallen him…”

“He destroyed his people, his world. He now has the responsibility to atone for those crimes, by embracing something he never wanted, something he  _fears_ , something he loathes. Will he rise above his own selfishness, his own terrors, and become what he must for the Universe he once dreamt of dominating? Shall he sacrifice to save it all? Shall he be a light where there is darkness? He  _must_  make this choice… for if _his_  darkness cannot be lifted…” Primus looked into Orion’s optics deeply, their endless path was dim yet sparkled with hope.

“Can any of ours…?” Orion finished, his spark heavy and thoughtful. “Yet, it will be temporary will it not? The memory loss, that is. That, I imagine, would be his greatest hurtle to cross. As for the bond…  Arrrgh… Once he uses the power he should return to who he was beforehand, yes? As I did? Still… will that be enough to ease his worries? Is he ready to be a Prime?”

Orion vented and rubbed his helm wearily, “Primus… if he … if he fails, I must destroy Unicron, or place him back into stasis rather. Also, I still wish to restore Cybertron, no… no matter what I must do... I will not let us fall because of one mech’s fears. His… or mine.” Orion felt the familiar weight of responsibility fall upon his shoulders. He had been so focused on Unicron, and Megatronus he had almost forgotten how he would restore his planet… what it may cost, and now Megatron needed to give more as well…

The femme smiled at him and nodded, “I would not expect any less from you, my son. Yes, he shall return to himself after, yet the Matrix will remain with him henceforth. It shall always be within him to be activated when needs arise. He  _would_  be the Prime of Cybertron and he would need to accept that responsibility until a new Prime is chosen. He may take it, he may not but… then you would know… then we shall  _all_  know, just where Megatronus of Kaon’s spark lies... ”

Orion huffed, his spark and processor reeling. Would Megatron accept the one thing he hated more than anything? Would he allow himself to become their Prime, even if it meant losing his memories, going through another bond break, and in his optics, become a tool for a God that had only ever taken from him?

Primus watched him struggle, her dermas pulled tight. “Orion, if my creations cannot move beyond their own selfishness, their own darkness… Unicron will always win, and we shall restore Cyberton just to watch it be destroyed once more… that, that is something I have no desire to witness for a second time, nor do I have the strength for it.”

When Orion looked back at the god he found her looking towards the fog covered chamber once more. Her optics were dark, haunted even. “My son, I have felt every death, every fire burn along my surface, every explosion that ripped into me… I have captured so many of my creation’s tears, I have felt their fears, and the dead… they lay scattered along my ruined surface even now. I am covered in death, and destruction. There has been such darkness for you all for so long. If Megatron… the epitome of all that loss, cannot change and sacrifice for the planet he destroyed…  I fear this will be the last revival for our species. If they fail once again… I do not have the conviction to try again. There has already been far too much damage inflicted on so many innocents across the universe because of _my_  creations… that guilt, that failure  _haunts_  me.”

Orion looked away, his helm falling as he found himself  _begrudgingly_ agreeing with Primus. The war had not only destroyed their world, but through the exodus the remaining citizens had fled to all corners of space, virtuous and malevolent alike. He was only privy to seeing Cybertronian’s effects on Earth yet he was certain in other corners of the universe there were more planets that were suffering from their existence, their war as well.

“Do you believe my creations can redeem themselves?” Primus asked, now a lithe seeker frame, his voice was soft yet it rang with desperation, and loss.

Orion did not answer right away as he vented slowly as he turned back to stare at the fog. “You created the fog didn’t you? To, to not see them all… at once?” The young Prime asked gently, and he heard a soft sob come from the seeker.

“Y..yes.” Primus whispered, his soft voice crackling with emotion and helm lowering, almost as if ashamed. “I… I am not so strong, my son… not so strong.”

Orion hung his helm once again, his spark heavy. He knew that feeling, for many times during the war he had wished he could do the same…

“Primus, none of us are perfect creatures.” Orion began, his voice low, quiet. “Yet within those flaws shines potential, potential for good, and bad. I have seen all manner of bots. Some could be considered evil, some noble, some joyful, some miserable. Some create, and others destroy, yet within all of us, I truly believe is the capacity for change. I have seen such changes, from both sides of the spectrum.”

Orion looked up at the smaller mech, his optics narrowing thoughtfully, “May I tell you of a couple of those changes, Primus? What I have seen of your Creations?”

Primus looked at the young Prime, his helm nodding slowly as he listened.

“There, there was once a mech that served under me, young… as I was, but he was bright, hopeful, inspiring. He used to even…” The Prime laughed bitterly as he rubbed his helm, “He even created a reading group in the barracks. He wasn’t supposed to, but every night he would hole up in one of the larger storage areas and read to mechs that couldn’t recharge, or had lost a fellow soldier or… just needed some semblance of peace.”

Orion shook his helm, a forlorn smile on his faceplates as he remembered. The smile disappeared as he continued though, and his optics grew cloudy. “He… began to change though as the war continued, and he saw more and more death and destruction. He stopped reading, and a darkness grew in his spark. He grew more vicious in his efforts and attacks. I personally had to pull him off of one of our prisoners once… He spit and swore at me after doing so. Finally one day he snapped…”

Orion vented deeply, his helm falling back and optics shuttering. “One night there were screams from his unit’s berth hall. Magnus and I had run there as fast as we could, and we found his squad holding him down as he screamed and lashed at them all. He… he had tried to attack them, and succeed in injuring at least four _._  All of his companions, his brothers and sisters in arms… all of the mechs he used to read to, to comfort. He wanted to kill them while they slept, no true reason behind the attack but, but outright madness wrought from the endless pain we had to deal with every cycle. That was a terrible night.”

Orion hadn’t even noticed he was crying until he felt the liquid slide down the side of his helm, he heard Primus moan brokenly in front of him. “I thought we had lost him for good. He had changed for the worst, yet, his friends refused to give up on him. They knew he was merely broken, and needed mending. So they worked together, giving back to him, as he once did with them, and slowly he recovered his mind, his spark. He became one of the best medics in the field after that. Choosing to help and heal instead destroy and kill. He was one of Ratchet’s favorite apprentices. He had fallen, but through love, and patience… he redeemed himself.”

Orion wiped his faceplates, and cleared his vocalizer. “Another example… We were battling near Tarn, it used to be heavy with Decepticons, but also one of their main bases. They had… they had hospitals set up, homes... well what could be considered homes at that point in the war. Anyways… once they had abandoned it, a huge group of youngling neutrals had taken over, and tried to make a life for themselves. The oldest was even younger than my youngest team member Bumblebee, and they had many sparklings with them, their parents killed in the war.”

Orion smiled sadly, his helm lowering as he looked at his servos, “One solar cycle, a battle with my unit, and a unit of Decepticons got too close. We… we honestly didn’t know that there were civilians in the ruins of Tarn, and after a particular building was hit by a bomb, they began… began running out screaming. Apparently the building had been where they all lived… They begged for our help in getting the sparklings out. Of course my unit ran to assist, but what truly amazed me was how the  _entire_ unit of Decepticons did as well.”

 Primus shimmered and once more took on the visage of a sparkling, his optics staring deeply into Orion’s as the Prime spoke.

“For breems we worked together to dig them out of the rubble, neutrals, Decepticons, and Autobots…  _Cybertronians_ … all working together as one. There had been quite a few bots within the building it seemed, and during the long process both units lost their own soldiers to the crumbling structure. I lost two soldiers, and the Decepticons lost around six. At the end we were able to save all but three of the younglings… and even their loss was felt throughout our groups.”

 Orion paused as he remembered the guilt they had all felt in losing the three innocents. He shook his helm though and continued. “When we discovered they had lost all of their stores of energon in the blast, the Decepticon captain was the first to offer to give them some of theirs, and between both of our groups we were able to give them enough to survive until they found a new shelter, as they refused to come with either us or the Decepticons… not that we blamed their hesitancy.”

Orion sighed, “It was a surreal experience to work with Decepticons like that, yet it showed me we all have the capacity to care, to feel sorry, make mistakes, and grow from it. Not to mention the brave group of younglings who took it upon themselves to save as many orphaned sparklings as they could. So Primus, I don’t know if history shall repeat itself in the end, but am I willing to sacrifice myself to give my people the  _chance_  to be  _better_. Losing your world, and almost your entire species, the war… I believe it has opened many of our optics to the truth of life, and its meaning, its _worth_.”

Primus sat quietly, his little frame curled up as he considered, “Do you believe Megatron shall accept the Matrix?”

Orion vented heavily once more, “I… I don’t know. I know what it represents to him, I know what he feels it took from him, and he views it as a tool for slavery. He has been owned during his lifetime, I imagine that is not something you eagerly jump back into, no matter the cause.  If he doesn’t, will that mean you give up on us?”

The sparkling frowned, “I will never give up on my creations, but I will not take the steps I did this time to ensure their continued existence… the universe deserves better than to be destroyed by my blind hope.”

“Will you speak with him beforehand, Primus? Will you remind him that he won’t forget me forever… I know him, he will panic and…” Orion started but Primus just looked at him more harshly.

Primus shook his helm, his strange optics narrowing angrily, “Orion… he will make the choice alone. He will have no reassurances, no help… He will make this choice while facing whatever fears it carries. He MUST overcome those fears! Fear breeds anger and we all know what his anger leads to. NO. No, my child. He will have no help.”

Orion growled at the sparkling god, “Do you want him to suffer through this? Do you enjoy it?”

Primus raised his optical ridge, surprised with the youngest Prime’s tone, “Orion, may I remind you this mech destroyed my creations, he destroyed ME! He has constantly attempted to kill my SON! I think I am being more than FAIR in this!”

“He only did those things because of….” Orion began only to have Primus stand before him, his frame shaking with rage.

“If you think for a moment WHAT HE LOST is fair enough reason to do what he DID… I LOST _EVERYTHING_ , AND FELT EVERY DEATH! He will prove to me that he has changed or he will doom you  _all_  the NEXT TIME you all FAIL! I will NOT save my creations AGAIN! Not if they insist on DESTROYING THEMSELVES A SECOND TIME!” Primus vented raggedly as he looked down at Orion, his strange optics swirling wildly. “I am tired of feeling DEATH!” As Primus spoke he swept his arm towards the chamber before them and the fog immediately dissipated to reveal the energon stained floor and every ruined grey frame that remained of the ancient Primes.

Orion’s optics grew wide as he looked at the massacre before him. The frames Primus had yet to organize in a respectable way lay scattered everywhere. Helms, arms, legs… all ripped from their owner's frames and carelessly thrown aside. The columns, the walls, the great thrones all were covered in energon and bits and pieces of mech…

“I… I was wrong about Megatronus. I was too blinded by hope, and look… look at the chaos he brought, Orion. Unicron is awake, he infected you with my brother’s energy, he tried to kill you all, and killed all of…” Primus’s voice caught in his throat and he looked away from the carnage, the mist returning once again.

The youngest Prime let his helm fall once more, “He… he redeemed himself in the end, he did the right thing, Primus.”

“Yes,” Primus said bitterly, his frame shimmering before it turned into another old mech, this one battle scarred, and slumping as if he had the weight of the world upon his shoulders. Orion couldn’t help but see it as a fitting frame for the moment. “Yes, he did… but after so much loss, so much pain…”

Orion vented in deeply yet felt his shoulders fall in defeat, “Primus… we cannot all be you.” He said quietly.

Primus snapped his shaking helm towards the younger mech, “What?”

Orion looked up at him, and for a moment Primus found his vents stilled in how the depth of the smaller mech’s optics mirrored his own, the wisdom within them, the love, and pain was far too familiar. “We are not you, great Primus. We fall, we fail… some far worse than others, but we are not gods… not even I. I have lived amongst your creations my entire existence. I have seen so much. So much hate, and so much love… yet I have seen it in humans as well. We are flawed great one, but we are  _not_  without hope. Not for ourselves, or others, we fight for a future… Right now Cybertronians are on Earth coming together to face a terrible evil. Not Decepticons, or Autobots, but _Cybertronians_. I believe in us, Primus. I believe in every mech, femme, I believe we can change, we can grow and learn and… and I believe if there is any mech that could continue to teach the lessons of humility, of loss, of sacrifice, and redemption, and _illustrate_  the value of those  points more than any, it would be Megatron.”

Primus stared at the younger mech, and found himself drawn to silence. Here was this mech, this young Prime… in the scope of his own existence, and he smiled in awe. “For as benevolent as some may think I am, how wise, and strong, perfect… even I am prone to the faults of those I have created. I too have doubts, and fears… Thank you my son, for reminding me of the wonders of the unknown, and the forgiveness of flaws. You… perhaps you are correct, perhaps your devotion to Megatron is not baseless.”

Orion smiled a small smile, “We all have it within ourselves, I think, to be better, to be leaders, and heroes, but sometimes we require the help of others to see it. Like the soldier that attacked his own unit, or the Decepticons that saved those younglings, like Megatron after he lost his family, like me after I realized what I had lost, and even you, great Primus… Sometimes we all need a reminder that even through all of this chaos, there are moments of splendid brilliance.”

The young Prime looked up at his god, his Sire, his Carrier. His optics blazed, and servos fisted as he felt his resolve grow, “I believe in Megatron, Primus… even if he may not believe in himself.  In the end I think that he will be his greatest adversary in this choice…” Orion smiled sadly and he rubbed his helm, “Honestly, he has been the mech to hurt himself more than any, Primus. Look into his spark… you will see it. His need to be perfect, to lead even as he has no path to follow… he tries to be what he can for every mech. He tries to be what he once wished he had, what he once needed… A leader to those lost to darkness of night, other than being one that shines in the sun.”

Primus chuckled in awe, and he shook his helm, “Well my son I suppose we shall see the outcome of that soon enough, for it is time. Come, let us witness either a great redemption, or… or a painful truth.”

The youngest Prime felt his spark skip nervously as he grasped the old mech’s servo and followed after Primus.

The air around them shivered and suddenly Orion found himself back in Unicron’s chamber. He looked down to find Soundwave, and Megatron standing over his inert frame. The two seemed frozen, Megatron bent over as if he were about to pry Orion’s chest plates open.

“Primus, as you are here, can you not dispatch Unicron yourself?” Orion asked quietly, but the god merely smiled sadly at him.

“I exist in mere echoes from both you and your sparkling, Orion. I have enough power to lay the Primes to rest, but that is all, my son.” Primus said gently, he was now in the form of a predacon, his great wings flexing as they approached Orion’s loves.

Orion suddenly froze, his optics widening in fear as he looked down at himself, “Primus, why… why am I not white?”

The predacon looked over at him, his otherworldly optics looking into his child’s deeply, “You are still a part of me my son, but you exhausted my power in saving Megatron.”

Orion felt his tanks roll, and spark begin hammering within him, “Without that power… how will I, how can I restore Cybertron? I didn’t mean to use it all… I was just… I…”

“You did what your spark led you to do my son, as you always have when it comes to this mech. You alone have seen his _supposed_  light. You have fought for it, for him… even as he tried to destroy you, even as he destroyed so much you loved… You gave up  _your_  chance to restore Cybertron to save him, because you believe in his light and… the light of your people essentially.” Primus looked towards the silver mech, his optics narrowing. “Let us see if that sacrifice was well-founded.”

“But Primus! What of Cyber…” Orion exclaimed, his voice near panicked.

“Hush my son, it begins.” The predacon interrupted him as time began to move before them once more.

Orion stared at the god in disbelief yet as the world became alive around him, he found his spark hammering with another fear.  ** _Ohhh Megatron… be strong love… Far more rests upon your shoulders than you realize._**

………………………..

“What? Oh, finally!” Megatron stepped back over Orion’s frame, readying to lift the Prime up once more when he saw the Matrix begin to lift from Orion’s chest.

“What the frag?” Megatron felt his spark clench, was Orion dying? Yet, he didn’t feel any pain in  _his_  spark, at least none other than what was felt because of his love’s current injuries, so it couldn’t be that. He looked up towards his love’s optics to find them closed; apparently the mech had fallen to emergency stasis.

A sudden and unexpected voice filtered through his helm then.

_Megatronus of Kaon, you have been chosen…_

Megatron stared at the Matrix, his optics bulging as he watched the accursed relic float above Orion, and he grabbed at his helm.  ** _You have to be FUCKING kidding me…._**

Soundwave stared up at him, his own optics bulging as well. “IS ORION DYING!?”

The silver mech shook his helm numbly, “No…no I don’t… It doesn’t feel like it but… Soundwave, something wants me to take the Matrix.”

The smaller mech’s intake gaped, “What!? Megatron how do you know…”

“SOMETHING JUST TOLD ME I WAS CHOSEN, SOUNDWAVE! What else do you want me to SAY!?” Megatron screamed out, he was near full panic as he stared at the relic.

Soundwave’s helm shook in shock, “Uhh… well then, umm take it and let’s end this!” He flinched as a roar shook the chamber around them.

Megatron felt like he couldn’t vent. Here was the thing that had taken Orion from him so long ago, made their bond disappear, made Orion disappear… and now, after everything, after finally getting his love back, and them being together it was asking for him to do it all over again!?

He stumbled back, his frame shaking in terror.  ** _I won’t remember any of them. I won’t remember Soundwave, I won’t remember my team, I won’t remember Orion! I will become a slave to Primus and for WHAT, this fragging ungrateful UNIVERSE!? I care about it, sure… I suppose, but at the cost of everything I have finally gotten back!? AFTER EVERYTHING WE HAD TO GO THROUGH!? What kind of a cruel joke is this!? I don’t want to be a FRAGGIN PRIME!_**

Soundwave watched his leader back away and he felt panic seep through his own systems, “Megatron, take the Matrix! We have no time! Unicron is getting stronger by the klik!”

“I… I can’t… I can’t do it. I finally have him back… I can’t, I CAN’T JUST FORGET IT ALL!” His voice screeched and crackled with his horror.

Soundwave shook his helm, “Megatron if you cannot do this, Earth is doomed! You may return once it is done as Optim…”

“FRAG EARTH! We can go, we can go now, and take Orion, our team… We can go…” Megatron said desperately, his optics filling with coolant and his frame shaking. He had not heard the last bit that Soundwave had said as his processor reeled in horror. All he could think about was that fateful night where this  _thing_  took so much from him! Where it changed his life, and the course of the planet, the universe!

The darker mech growled, “Megatron what happened to willingly sacrificing!? I… understand it is terrifying, but we can’t run from this forever! Unicron is too powerful! You need to do this!”

“I CAN’T LOSE HIM AGAAAAAAIN! Our bond will be BROKEN! What… what if he doesn’t SURVIVE THE BREAK!?” The silver mech screamed wretchedly, his servos flying to his helm. He felt as if one of his episodes was approaching. He could hardly see, couldn’t vent…  ** _Why…. WHY PRIMUS! Haven’t you taken enough FROM US!? WHY MUST IT BE ME!? I… I am not even worthy of it!_**

Soundwave snarled, “FINE! I will try damnit!” The smaller mech went to reach for the relic but Megatron roared at him.

“DON’T TOUCH IT! I… I will… I will…” Megatron sobbed as he stumbled forwards, his spark felt like it was on fire, and he felt sick.

He finally made it back to Orion’s side and fell to his knees. Somewhere Unicron was screaming and laughing madly behind him, yet Megatron could only focus on the mech and relic before him. He moaned brokenly as he tried to reach out for the sphere, but he pulled back at the last second with a half sob, half snarl.

“Ohhhhhh…. What do I do… what… I… ARRRRRRRRGH! FRAG YOU PRIMUS!” He screamed as he held his helm.  ** _I am afraid, I am so afraid… We are going to lose it all again, I am going to lose it all again! Will the break destroy you Orion, as it nearly destroyed me? Or… now that you know… but…  Arrrrrgh… I know, I know it seems selfish but frag it all… I… I  just want to be simple! That is all, ALL I ever WANTED! Haven’t we been fragging tools for the gods long enough!?_**

Megatron wiped at his faceplates, staring into Orion’s still faceplates. He had never wanted to be a warlord, he had never planned on being a revolutionary. So many times he had just wished for simplicity, for HOME! And… and EVERY TIME he thought, HOPED he might get it…

He bent forwards holding his helm tightly, the storm in his spark and processor overwhelming him as he moaned out, “I’m not Orion… I am not as brave as he is… I am not as noble… so why… why me? Why, Primus… I can’t… help me, I am too cowardly! I am too selfish… I love him too much to forget him… I… Please don’t take him from me again. Please don’t let this destroy him as it did me… I love you Orion, but I cannot do this…”

…………….

Orion watched his love with sullen optics, and a heavy spark. He listened as Megatron screamed, he wept as Megatron wept… he knew what this choice meant to his love and honestly, he hadn’t even thought of the bond break.  ** _I didn’t even feel the last one… will I survive it?_** He looked to Primus yet the god was silent the entire time, his faceplates still, and controlled.

Orion walked forwards and stood next to Megatron’s sobbing frame, “Oh Megatron… my love.”

He knelt down and placed his servo upon the larger mech’s shoulder. He knew Megatron couldn’t feel or see him, but he felt lost in how to ease his mate’s fears. “You  _are_  brave, you can be  _so_  brave, and you can be so  _noble_ … Don’t give in to your fears, my love. Don’t give into that darkness. You have it in you to do this! I know you do! It won’t be forever Megatron… don’t you remember love, once you use the power… You won’t lose me… I… I will fight through the pain of the break. I won’t leave you!”

Orion watched as the chamber’s ceiling shook so hard bit began to fall as Unicron became stronger.  He leaned his helm close to his mate’s, wishing he could touch him, wishing he could hold him, kiss him… protect him. “Megatron… I… I love you, I have always  _loved_ you, and I believe in you! You are so much more than you realize. I will never give up on you, so please don’t give up on yourself. I love you so very much Megatronus… Megatron, now, then… and always.”

With that he brought his helm forwards, his dermas ghosting against his love’s helm as he kissed him.  ** _I am here… and I will always be with you. Don’t be afraid… I am here. You won’t lose me!_**  Orion knelt behind his love, and wrapped his arms around him as best he could, burrowing his helm against the other’s plates.

**_You are worthy…and I will be strong, so that you can be as well, my love._ **


	37. Vindex Nox

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! First, I am so sorry it has been so long, life be crazy and too many stories... SECOND, things may be confusing but I promise answers shall come, so... hold on and see? Hopefully? There is a method to my madness, I promise... mostly. Hahah, oh and... the drawing of... well at the end... EEEEP! One of the best I have done so far... I feel, and I love the way it came out. Hope it helps illustrate some stuff. I will totally draw Orion as well... just saying... ok enjoy, have patience, and sorry for errors! :)

_Now, then… and always…_

Megatron raised his crying helm as those words whispered through his audials suddenly. **_What? Ori…_** His optics bulged as he felt something brush his cheek, and he lowered his servo to the spot.

He looked around the shaking chamber yet saw nothing but air beside him. **_Orion? I know it was!_**

He looked back down at his love’s inert frame, relieved to find him still venting, albeit weakly. He couldn’t help but feel as if some warmth had fallen over him, and with its comfort, he felt his spark ease.

He looked around him, his audials filled with Unicron’s roars once again. **_Oh Orion… I love you… you are so much more than me… and I have always known that. You have done so much for so many and now, you need me to take that burden from you. The world needs my help, the universe does. Do I have it in me to take up this mantle? To give up everything I ever dreamed of, for everyone else?_**

“Orion…” he whispered, his voice broken, and full of static. “I love you. You deserve better of me. Everyone does…”

He looked up at the orb before him, his shoulders sagging. He almost felt that ghost of warmth press around him tighter, but he couldn’t be sure.

His servos shook as he reached out towards the floating orb. When his claws encircled the relic he was surprised to find it comfortably cool in his palm. **_Oh… What am I doing? Why, why am I going to give everything up? Why am I doing this? WHY!?_**

He knelt there as the chamber shuttered around him, pieces of earth and god falling from above like rain.

**_Orion… What is this going to mean for us? What if you are destroyed through the bond break? Will I even care then, once I forget you, forget us?_ **

He looked down at his love, his spark heavy, and optics burning.

“Megatron…” Soundwave’s voice called to him nervously, the darker mech holding Orion’s servo tightly as he knelt next to him. “Megatron, you won’t be gone forever, remember? Orion came back, the last time we…”

The silver mech looked up at his oldest friend, hope surging through his spark for just a klik before he remembered exactly _how_ much of Orion came back then. “He wasn’t whole Soundwave, not then. We had no bond, and he wasn’t who…”

Soundwave nodded, his optics falling to the ground beneath him. “Perhaps we didn’t give him enough of a chance to see how much was truly there?”

The chamber rumbled around them violently, and both mechs looked around themselves uneasily.

Megatron vented brokenly, his helm nodding as he stared down at the glowing orb in his servo. “Soundwave... I don’t know what this will do to me. My spark is not as pure as Orion’s. I do not know what I will become. With Orion, it seemed to amplify who he was at spark, at his core.  He became an honorable, and kind Prime but not all of the Prime’s have been so noble.” He looked up at the smaller mech, his optics narrowed as terror grew within him. “I have carried such anger I… If I pose a threat, to you all… Please take them and _run._ Run hard and fast my friend. Promise me?”

Soundwave’s optics widened, he had not even considered that. _He_ knew in his spark Megatron was a good mech, that he meant well, but his friend was right, there was also a darkness within him as well. Yes, much of that darkness had been fed through his horrific beginnings, so perhaps without those memories he would not hold such pain in his spark, but what if that darkness was stronger than any of them realized? Taking the Matrix could very well amplify his less honorable traits.

The darker mech nodded stiffly, “I will, I promise to keep them safe, as well as I can.”

Megatron sighed, and smiled grimly, “Thank you, my friend. Know Soundwave, I owe you so very much. You are my most trusted friend and ally, and I would have been lost without you by my side for all these vorns.”

Soundwave smiled back at the silver mech, his optics soft and understanding. “And I you, Megatron.”

The former warlord bent forwards, his helm dipping to lightly kiss Orion’s helm. “I love you.” He whispered before forcing himself to stand. With a stern nod to his oldest friend, Megatron made his way to the edge of the long platform he stood upon, his optics blazing up at Unicron’s ever growing spark.

 ** _Frag you, you bastard._** He thought as he forced his chest plates open, his spark emitting a light pink color, almost more white then anything, where once it glowed a deep crimson. His optics widened at the change, but shook his helm as he peered hatefully the Matrix one last time.

**_Why am I doing this? I need to focus on that. Not what will happen afterwards, but WHY I am choosing this. I am doing this because, because…_ **

As he began to pull the Matrix back towards his spark Megatron realized perhaps, he knew exactly why he was doing it.

He was doing it for the children that had so inspired his love, he was doing it for Strika’s faith in him, and Lugnut’s undying loyalty. He was doing it for Arcee’s acceptance of him, and Knockout’s passion and loss. He was doing it for Orion’s teammates; the soft-sparked wrecker, and imaginative scout. He was doing it for the honorable Predaking, and inquisitive Shockwave. He was doing it for Ratchet’s relentless loyalty and love of Orion, and Soundwave’s newfound hope, and sense of worth, but mostly… he was doing it because of the unconscious mech behind him.

The mech that had, since the beginning, looked at him with those open, honest optics and befriended _him_ a lowly slave. The little mech that had supported him, giving up his home, his caste, his identity for. The little mech that had _protected_ him, and loved him, even at his worst. The mech that showed him _how_ to love, and also that it was alright to be weak. The mech that had never given up on him even when Megatron had given him so many reasons to do just that… The mech that gave _his_ life meaning, that gave it hope, and gave it light.

**_I love you Orion, I love you so very much. I shall make the sacrifice this time love, you rest and, even if I forget you… Please remember how much I loved you._ **

With a ragged vent, and one last look at his trine, Megatron roared as he plunged the Matrix into his spark and screamed as white hot agony filled his frame.

…………………….

Orion watched as Megatron pulled the orb towards him, and he didn’t know what to feel. His spark was aching too deeply with echoes of Megatron’s fears, disgust, anger, yet also his love. He was proud of his love, and humbled by how much he had grown, changed over the vorns. That he would take this mantle was awe inspiring, as it was damning.

 ** _It seems we are ever guided by fate, my love._**  

As the Matrix began entering Megatron’s spark chamber Orion peered back at Primus, his optics shinning with coolant but also pride and hope for his love when agony suddenly ripped through his spark.

Megatron was screaming behind him as white light enveloped his frame, and Orion cried out with him falling to his knees as fire burned through him.

He remembered this pain, yet it was far less powerful for _him_ this time, Megatron though… He would be the one to feel the full effects of the Matrix becoming one with his frame.

**_Megatron… Be strong. Be strong love._ **

_It is time for you to return my son._ Primus’s voice sounded in his helm and he felt himself being pulled towards reality once more.

_Do no fear for him my son. Do not fear for Cybertron. All is as it should be, and all will be well._

Orion looked up as he faded back to his frame, the last thing he saw was the visage of Primus smiling proudly at Megatron.

…………………..

Megatron felt like his spark was being torn away from his frame and smelted within a pit of acid, and despair.

He screamed as his frame was also torn asunder, agony consuming his frame as he collapsed to the ground beneath him.

“ARRRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHH!” He bellowed in fear and anguish as the Matrix took over his entire being.

**_Arrrgh… Orion! Was this… Is this what you went through when you…_ **

**/Megatronus… My love./** Orion’s voice broke through the chaos that racked his frame, and he desperately pulled towards his mate.

 **/ORION! I am on FIRE!/** Megatron called to the smaller mech, his frame aching with his admission.

 **/I love you, Megatronus… Megatron. You have been so brave, my love. I am here, I will always be here. Even as you forget me. I will NOT give up on you!/** Orion’s voice cried to him through their fracturing bond.

 **/I am _afraid_ Orion! What if you do not survive the bond break!? What if I am not strong enough to survive the change? WHAT IF I FORGET YOU FOREVER!?/ ** Megatron felt his raging spark ache with worry and terror.

 **/Megatron, we have made it through so many trials, and even now you have accepted a responsibility you never wanted, hated even. I love you, and I know, we shall always find one another. No matter what comes between us./** Orion’s voice seemed like a warm blanket over the former warlord’s inner chaos, and he held onto that strength as he was slowly ripped apart.

 **/Orion… Orion I love you, don’t forget that. I am sorry, I a..am s..sorry…/** Megatron’s end of their bond was crumpling by the klik. Piece by piece it tore away, as something alien slowly replaced him.

 **/I know, my love. Thank you for being so strong. Thank you for loving me. It will be alright! It will! Have faith in yourself, in us./** Orion pleaded with him, despairing as his love faded from his spark. He knew it would happen, he knew mostly everything that would occur this time, but it did not make the pain any less horrific, or the break and more devastating. To feel a part of yourself be violently taken, torn, and shattered, especially when that part of you was the mech you loved so deeply, it was a harrowing experience.

The fire continued to burn between the two mechs, like so long ago they felt the pain of separation, only now, it was Orion that slowly became the only one to notice the true anguish of loss as his spark began to fracture within his frame.

Nevermind that not only was he losing his bond with his love, but the Matrix was truly leaving him for the first time since he awoke as Optimus so long ago. The Fallen may have ripped it from his frame, but it not chosen him, so its power was still connected to Optimus to a degree. This time, it was abandoning him as its _master_ and with that loss of power came even more pain.

He suddenly wondered if he would lose _his_ memories with the loss of the Matrix? Would he lose everything after becoming Optimus? Would he forget his team? Would he forget the war!? Panic bloomed in his spark even as it was slowly shattering.

He fought from inside his mangled frame to keep his strength from leaving him entirely, his fear growing stronger, and stronger in his broken spark as he felt himself begin to slip too far back.

**_NO! No, I can’t fall! Megatron needs ME! Soundwave! I need to be strong! I will not let this destroy ME!_ **

He reached desperately for his mate realizing there wasn’t even an echo of the mech tangible now, only the wretched agony of loss. **/Megatron? Megatron, love!? Are you alright? Megatron! I can’t, arrrrgh GODS! It HUUUUURTS! MEGATRON!? LOOOOVE!?/**

Orion screamed, his mangled frame shaking under the light that was leaving him. His spark felt as if it was being split in half, ripped furiously apart by unseen claws. **_Primus! Everything will be fine won’t it!? It will be alright? We will make it through this won’t we?_**

Darkness slowly began to roll over his consciousness, and the blessed promise of oblivion seemed so welcoming but, he wasn’t certain if he fell into that peace, if he would ever make it back out.

**_I have to stay here! I have to! Don’t fall Orion, don’t let yourself fall. He needs you now, they need you! ARRRRGH… Ohh, Primus, I am so very tired. So very, very tired…_ **

**_…………………………._ **

Soundwave covered his optics as Megatron transformed, and he felt his spark go out to his friend. He knew what the Matrix meant to Megatron, far more than most. For him to accept it, for him to become a _Prime_ …

**_Megatron, how will this change you now? Yet, it should only be temporary, right? Once he uses it against Unicron, he can return to us, can’t he?_ **

As his friend’s screams eased, and the light began to dissipate, Soundwave reset his optics as he looked back to the two mechs before him, and when his optics finally focused he gasped as he gaped between his two trine members.

Megatron knelt at the edge of the platform, his frame shaking and venting raggedly. The larger mech’s plating was now a brilliant white, and he shone nearly as bright as Earth’s moon.  No longer were his shoulders covered in jagged spikes, but smooth beyond the crescent like shapes at the front and end of each. A cape fell from one shoulder, its color a deep blue shade, much like the color of the night sky, his seams and trimmings were also the same deep color. Deep black chains hung from his caped shoulder, each ending in what appeared to be black tears.

The new Prime’s servos no longer held clawed tips, and as far as Soundwave could see, his denta were no longer sharp either. Bright yellow emblems also covered his arms and legs… and a mighty blazing sword hung from his back.

As Megatron, or the Prime, forced himself to stand, Soundwave could see that his chassis was adorned two crescent emblems as well, and his optics shone with that same brilliant yellow as the emblems that covered his limbs.

“Uhhhh…” Orion moaned raggedly, and Soundwave immediately went to the smaller mech’s side.

“Orion! Are you alright love? Are you…”

“Me*g*tr**n?” He whimpered out, his frame shaking terribly as his optics un-shuttered just a crack, and Soundwave gasped as he looked down at his love.

He shook his helm, ignoring his wonder as he pulled Orion’s frame up gently so he could see the new Prime better. “He is there love.”

Orion hissed as he was lifted, his optics rising to find the glorious visage of the new Prime before him, but his spark… His spark burned with a loss that was indescribable, and he fought falling to the darkness that beckoned him so sweetly.

He was so grateful he still held all of his memories, how he was uncertain, perhaps a gift from Primus? Either way, at least he had that, and it was those memories that helped him fight from falling to far into oblivion.

**_Stay… Need to s..tay… Needs, family… My family needs…_ **

As the Prime’s optics fell to his their blaze filled only with suspicion, and a gleam fury, he felt a sob escape his intake, both from awe, and despair. **_Megatron… You… You need l..light. Find a light love…_**

**_………………_ **

_Awaken Vindex Nox, Champion of the Night. Awaken and defend this universe from the darkness that threatens to consume it._

No longer did agony rip through his frame, now there was only a dull ache, and a sense of weakness as the Prime felt the world around him come into focus at last.

He groaned as he forced his frame to stand, his pedes shaking under him as he did so.

 ** _Vindex… Nox? My designation is Vindex Nox?_** The Prime pondered, his processor felt thick and muddled.

_Rise chosen one, rise and defeat Unicron. He who threatens this universe. You have been chosen for this task._

Nox scowled, his confusion and weakness making it hard to focus on anything that the strange voice said to him. He looked around the rumbling chamber, spying three other mechs there with him. One lie nearby and two others huddled together before him.

Both stared up at him, their optics raging with curious storms, but it was the little one that stopped him. The scarred broken thing, with the mismatched optics, that pulled at him. His red and blue optics gazed up at him longingly, a deep sorrow hidden within them, and terrible pain.

**_I understand that pain, but I do not know why? I do not remember anything except, I am Vindex Nox, the Prime of Cybertron, and it is my duty to…_ **

Roaring laughter filled the chamber around the new Prime, and he turned towards its source. His optics widened as they fell upon a vast raging spark, its sickly purple light reflecting in the new Prime’s optics.

**_I know this entity. Unicron, the Destroyer of worlds, and Devourer of realities._ **

_“_ Primus has chosen a monster as a PRIME! HAHAHAHA!  Has his hope fallen so far for his PUTRID creations that he must enlist the help of even the WEAKEST OF SPARKS!?” Unicron’s voice rang out around him, and Nox felt his optics narrow dangerously.

**_Primus chose me, to defeat this creature?_ **

_Yes, young one. You hold the Matrix of Leadership within your spark. It falls to you to become this universe’s protector. Only you hold the power to…_ The strange voice of Primus faded away as the dark god before him laughed harder.

“Does Primus guide you now, little Prime? You are a FOOL! A tool for a GOD that cares naught for you, and has just taken everything you love from your mind! Tell me nameless Prime, who are the mechs behind you? Do you remember? Do you care? Or is your one joy now serving your MASTER!? You are betraying your own family! The one you swore to protect! They mean NOTHING to you now!” Unicron roared out, the chamber shaking with his fury.

As more of the chamber crumbled around him, he heard a cry of pain sound from behind him, and he turned back to the two mechs.

Apparently some of the debris had fallen over the two, and the darker mech had thrown himself over the small one to protect him. Bits of jagged metal had cut into the lithe mech, and he vented painfully as he tried to stay over his companion. The Prime frowned, his spark aching oddly as he saw them hurt.

**_Unicron said I… I knew them? I loved them? Yet I do not understand. Why do they make my spark ache, and yet they are strangers? Who is it that is pulling the strings here? Who am I to believe?_ **

_“_ He has taken EVERYTHING from you now, and you do not even remember. Even now your love dies from the bond PRIMUS _forced_ you to break _!”_ Unicron’s voice flowed over the confused Prime as he tried desperately to comprehend what he had awoken to.

He was too lost, weak, and it all seemed too chaotic to understand. **_What is going on here? I do not understand! Why would Primus do such a thing? Is he not the God of light? Of PEACE? Unicron LIES! He is deceitful, evil, and corrupt!_**

As if the swirling God could hear his thoughts, the creature laughed darkly once more. _“_ Am I little Prime? Look at them, look into their optics, do you not see their pain? The mech they loved is lost to them now! Primus took him away, and now all that remains is YOU! Will you play Primus’s game? Will you be his foolish pawn? I offer this universe my power, my help. My children shall restore Cybertron, lead its people home. Primus fears his creations! He fears their freedoms, their ambitions, and defiance! If you fail now, he will not save you! Your former self was given no choice but to take the mantle of Primacy! You are merely his SLAVE!”

Nox growled, his helm pounding as he tried to understand the chaos around him. “Arrrrgh! I am no slave! I am no mech’s slave, not the Prime’s and certainly not any GOD’S!” He screamed, anger filling his spark.

_It is true young one, you had to sacrifice for your world, for your people, but he cannot be the one to restore Cybertron! He is deceitful, and corrupt! Look into your spark young one, find the truth deep within your…_

“AAAAAARRRRRRGH STOP IT!” The Prime screamed out, his servos rising to his helm. He felt as if he were being pulled in too many directions. Unicron, Primus, playing with him like some puppet, and at the end of it all sat those two mechs.

He vented brokenly, his servos gripping his helm so tightly he was sure his digits were denting his plating.

**_What is going on!? WHAT DO THEY ALL WANT!? WHAT DO I DO?_ **

………………………

Orion grit his denta as he heard Unicron play with Meg… the new Prime. The dark god dragging the larger mech into the depths of indecision, and fury.

He vented out weakly, his frame shaking and feverish as he looked pleadingly at Meg… at his lov… the Prime. He wasn’t certain what was happening to the larger mech, but he was clearly at war with himself. Orion remembered when he had awoken as Prime, he had been lost, and confused. Everything had been too bright, and new, yet insanely familiar. The chaotic duality of those sensations had caused a paralyzing effect.

He had let Megatron beat him to the ground, his spark aching as he felt a connection to the raging mech. He hadn’t known what to do until Ratchet had been attacked. His need to protect the medic had become a focus point, one that this Prime now needed desperately.

“Lo**v*e,” His ragged weak voice called out, and the Prime raised his aching helm to find Orion looking at him.

 ** _Love? Did I love him? Was he… Is he dying, because of me?_** The Prime stared at the broken thing, his optics burning as rage filled his spark. **_What was taken from me!? What did THEY TAKE FROM ME!?_**

Orion flinched as the larger mech’s wild field crashed against him, his optics filling with coolant as he tried to sit up.

Soundwave moaned as he pushed himself off Orion, his optic pained looking as he tried to help lift the smaller mech to a sitting position.

“Orion love, don’t push yourself, you are so weak.” Soundwave said gently, his voice gruff, and weary but his spark froze as he realized how cold Orion’s frame had become.

The raging Prime’s optics fleeted between the two of them, his denta grinding as he tried to ease the chaos within him. **_Orion? Orion… I know of no Orion! I know NOTHING! BUT WHY… WHY does he look at me like that!?_**

Orion smiled sadly at him, his mismatched optics soft, and loving. He raised his shaking servo, and pointed to his chest. “L*igh*t. N*ow… th*n, al**ways.”

He watched as the larger mech seemed to freeze, a flash of something flickering in his optics as he lowered his servos from his helm. **_Yes love… Let me be the light to guide you. You have it within your spark to do this, I know you do. You just need something to light your way through all of this darkness._**

He smiled wider as he saw the other mech’s shoulders ease, and his helm tilt curiously at him. Mega… the Prime may not remember him, but maybe, as it had been with Orion, his spark would.

…………………….

**_Light? Now, then… and always?_ **

Vindex didn’t know why, but those simple words, four little words, held far too much power over him. They were more powerful than the Matrix within his spark, the God’s that quarreled over him, and doubts he had held since he woke.

Suddenly the storm within his spark eased, and Nox felt a sort of peace fall over him. He stared down at the little mech, his helm tilted in confusion, and loss.

“Why are you lost to me?” He muttered out, the chamber once again rumbling with Unicron’s fury.

The little mech coughed wetly, his optics dimming as pain rattled through him and energon fell from his intake. “N*ot lo*st. F*ou*nd.”

The new Prime scowled, his spark hammering as he watched the smaller mech cough again, energon erupting from his intake with each wracking motion.

“Un*i*cron… Hu**rts.” The mech strangled out as his coughing continued. His optics grew dimmer as he leaned heavily against the black and blue mech.

“He is right Prime.” The darker mech said over the rumbling in the chamber. “Unicron plans on destroying us all. You need to use the Matrix, please. You are the only one that can save us, my friend.”

Unicron roared furiously apparently tired of playing his game any longer, “I could have given you EVERYTHING! EVERYTHING your spark desired and still you’re fools! Still you side with Primus! What more must you lose before you realize the folly in your actions?”

Orion vented wetly, pointing his servo towards the Prime. “Mat**ix…” He started, but the pain in his chest flared wretchedly, and he gasped as he grasped at his chest plates.

“ORION!?” Soundwave cried out as his love’s optics shuttered closed. “ORION! PLEASE LOVE!? Nooo…” He looked up at the Prime, his own optics blazing with rage! “END HIM! Orion is DYING!”

Nox stepped back from the two mech’s, his spark aching as he watched the smaller mech go limp, his arms falling to the ground with a crash.

“NOOO! Orion hold on love, please! Please!” Soundwave screamed out, his shaking servos holding the cold mech tightly. **_Oh nooo, no please, not again! I can’t lose him again!_**

Suddenly from the tunnel they had entered there came a distinct, and terrifying buzzing sound. Soundwave felt his already frantic spark jump. **_NOOO! The antibodies have broken through!?_**

He turned his helm desperate to get Megatron to move  when he heard a dark growl sound and watched as the new Prime stood to his towering height. The mech’s optics burned brightly and he turned towards Unicron, his servos flying to his chest plates as he walked.

“Enough of this game.” The Prime said darkly. He didn’t know exactly what was happening, and he didn’t trust either god, but it was clear he needed to do something. He had to make a choice and in his spark, seeing that little scarred mech crumbling before him, it destroyed him. He felt the need to protect the little one, and his companion, even if he didn’t know why.

“YOU FILTH! YOU SHALL ALL FALL!” Unicron screamed, unleashing a wave of dark energy through the chamber.

Once more Soundwave fell over Orion, his frame stiffening as he braced for the impact from the blast, only to hear a new roar, and a great gust of wind, and then nothing. **_What?_** He thought in confusion as he lifted his helm to find the Prime standing over the two of them, his great sword held before him as his chassis heaved.

 ** _Did he knock the blast away?_** Soundwave wondered, his optics wide.

The Prime looked over his shoulder at the two of them, “Are you both alright?”

Soundwave nodded quietly as he lifted his frame off Orion, only to feel his spark clench as he listened to Orion’s venting. He looked down at the smaller mech, horrified to see more energon flow from his love’s intake.

Nox peered down at the dying mech and he growled as he turned back to Unicron’s spark. **_I am no slave to any God, Matrix or not, but I cannot allow these mechs to suffer for my weakness. Unicron made a grave mistake in attacking them, and now he shall pay._**

Nox moved forward, sheathing his brilliant sword as he neared the raging mass of energy. His yellow optics burning with his own fury as he lifted his servos to his chest plates.

“I Vindex Nox, am no one’s slave, pathetic god,” and Megatron, or Vindex Nox it seemed, threw open his chest plates and a blinding blue light erupted out of him.

Soundwave covered Orion’s frame once more as the brilliant light filled the chamber. He could hear both the Prime and Unicron screaming wildly behind him.

He held Orion tightly, the power from the Matrix causing the air around them to grow heavy, and the dark mech felt his venting become forced under the weight of it.

Orion moaned brokenly under him, his frame jerking as he gasped.

**_Hold on Orion, we are almost done. This nightmare is almost over, I swear love. Soon we can go home, we can hope for a future. Everything will be alright, it will…_ **

 Unicron screamed wildly as the Matrix’s light hit him, its glow slowly wrapping the whirling sphere pressing it smaller and smaller with each klik.

Struggling to free himself, Unicron streamed tendrils of dark purple mist through the uneven rays emitted by the Matrix.  Still screaming, Vindex pushed hard with his will, urging the Matrix to grow brighter, giving more of himself in the process.  Shining brighter than the sun, the Matrix’s light enveloped Unicron completely, cutting off any chance of escape.   

“ARRRGH YOU FOOLS! You are merely PLAY THINGS for PRIMUS! You shall never truly destroy me, I SHALL RETURN! MY CHILD SHALL AVENGE ME!” Unicron screamed as he the pressure around him grew tighter and tighter until finally, the spark’s pressure grew too constrained and with a resounding _BOOM,_ it burst apart!

The Prime’s screamed ceased as well as he collapsed, and all became silent once more.

Soundwave raised his helm hesitantly, his optics adjusting as he looked around the chamber.

Purple dust fell from where the God had once resided, falling over each of them like snow, but it seemed, the fallen god was finally silenced.

 ** _Is it over? Is it finally over?_** Soundwave wondered desperately, his spark aching with the hope that wanted to grow there.

The chamber grew dark then, the only light emitted was from small patches of dark energon that were scattered around the outer ring.

Soundwave heard Megatron… or Nox… Prime… whoever it was groan, and he adjusted his optics as he searched for his friend.

The white mech’s frame was smoking, and he seemed to be kneeling as if in pain. “Uhhh… What, what happened?” The Prime rubbed his helm wearily as he forced himself to stand.

Soundwave pushed himself away from Orion’s frame, his spark thundering, “Me…Megatron?”

The white mech looked over to him, his bright yellow optics narrowing as he spied Soundwave. “Soundwave? Did it…” Megatron looked behind him relief flooding through his frame as he realized Unicron was gone, _and_ that he remembered who he was!

The former warlord began to laugh, his chassis aching from the effort. **_I am still me! Or… I am back to me! Ohhhh, thank you Primus, you fragger!_**

His laughter was short lived though as he realized, he couldn’t feel Orion, that their bond was broken once again. When Orion had appeared after Optimus had defeated Unicron the first time, their bond had not come back either and its absence made him grow cold with concern. **_What else has changed?_**

He tried to ignore the strange ache the loss of their bond left, and he began making his way to his trine. **_I hope Orion didn’t suffer too badly through the break. He will be fine won’t he? He is stronger than me, and… and a part of Primus! He can make it through that, can’t he?_**

The more he thought about the bond break, the faster he found himself walking, and soon running to Orion’s side only to stumble back as he saw Orion’s faceplates. **_WHAT THE FRAG!_**

There, like a memory come to life, lay the visage of the little scarred mech that he had lost so long ago. Yes, he still had wings, tail, and such but in every other sense, it was Orion. Orion’s frame before he ever received the Matrix.

“How, how is this…” Megatron fell to his knees besides Orion, his spark hammering as he scanned over each memorized scar, the dulled plating of memories past, each crack that had been left by Tor, or Vice... Senator Proteus…

_**It... It as if Optimus never existed... Beyond his predacon additions, it is Orion... Beautiful, scarred, imperfectly perfected Orion... Gods... I had forgotten how beautiful he was... My Orion...**_

Soundwave nodded slowly, “It is surreal isn’t it? If it weren’t for the predacon attributes, I would second guess that time had changed at all… I just wonder why? Why isn’t he white, why does he still retain his wings, why is he in the form before the Matrix?”

“Do you think, do you think he may have lost his memory from Optimus? Do you think it was from our bond break? Do you think he will survive it!? Soundwave, I, I can’t…” Megatron vented brokenly as he realized the amount of energon that was flowing from his love’s intake.

“He remembers, or seems to, but Megatron, the break… I think it is killing him.” Soundwave said desperately.

 _ **Orion may be dying!?**_ Megatron remembered the agony he had felt when he lost his bond with not only their sparkling, but Orion. He had fallen for almost a vorn to recover. Orion was already so pulled thin, already so weakened. Would he be able to survive this?

_**Primus, don't take him form me. I beg you. We have become everything you have needed of us... Please, Please don't take him from me.** _

Megatron groaned as he knelt next to his love, his strong arms reaching down to cradle the smaller mech as he lifted him. “Come, let’s get to the surface. Can you carry the medic?”

Soundwave nodded as he rushed over to the older mech, noting how, like his, the medic's frame was completely healed now from Orion’s huge blast of power.

His tendrils snuck out, gently wrapping around the medic before lifting him, and hurrying over to where Megatron, or Vindex Nox stood.

The Prime nodded to him as he commed Knockout, his spark frantic as he held his love close.

**:Knockout, bridge to this location. Have the med bay ready please?:**

At first there was nothing, no static or anything and Megatron feared they were too far into the central chamber to get a response.

He turned to Soundwave, his yellow optics narrowed in thought. “Perhaps we should move to the outer…”

**:MEGATRON! HOLY FRAG! You MADE IT? I have been bridging in the others. Everything is back to normal! Everything has stopped! Wait… Did, did you find Ratchet? Is he ok?:**

Megatron growled, though he didn’t fault the red mech for his concern, his focus was solely on the limp mech in his arms. **:He is fine, well, mostly. Send the damn bridge! Orion is dying!:**

He waited for a response, but instead heard the familiar crackle of a bridge, before the brilliant green glow exploded before them.

Without a second look back Megatron ran through, Soundwave following after him.

The darker mech vented in relief as they left that wretched chamber, yet… as always, his relief was short lived as he focused back on Orion’s mangled frame, and weak spark.

Medically there was nothing to be done for a bond break, all one could do was wait, and hope. Would Orion be strong enough to make it through it? Would they have a future together, AND if they did, they still had the restoration of Cybertron to worry about.

**_Will you make it through this love, just to sacrifice yourself in the end anyways? Is this all for naught? Are you just fated to death regardless?_ **

**__ **


	38. Countdown Begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Errr my goodness, 2 chapters in 2 days. I gotta say everything that has occurred did so for a reason, but DAMN, is it nice getting back to the core of it all... So, I am just gonna say, I really liked writing this chapter after so much chaos, and loss, battles and blood... Should help clarify some stuff too! Next chapter...EEEP will hopefully be even better! Thank you to all of you who have supported me in this, and not given up. Ok, umm, enjoy, and sorry for errors...

Knockout was exhausted, his spark heavy, and processor worn until he received his first comm in far too long.

**:Knockout, this is Arcee. It seems the avatars have stopped, can we get a bridge, and have you heard from Opti…Orion?:**

**:I haven’t heard slag from anyone! But I will send a bridge. Give me a klik.:** The medic said his spark nervous, and yet hopeful at the same time.

He pressed to the needed controls to activate the bridge, his processor whirling in his helm as he did so. **_If, if the avatars have ceased that means they defeated Unicron, right? Oh Ratchet, please be safe. Please let everyone come out of this alright!_**

On his end the bridge exploded to life, and he raised his helm to find Arcee limp through. After her came Strika, the much larger femme’s optics were wet with coolant as she dragged Lugnut through, the mech was bleeding terribly, and his color far too grey.

“Knockout… Help him!?” Strika pleaded as she dragged the large mech’s frame through. “I will take over the bridge, but please…” She couldn’t finish as a sob escaped her intake.

Knockout nodded, his optics wide. “Bring him to the med bay, once you return I will…”

He was cut off as the others pulled there aching bleeding frames through, and he felt his spark fall to his tanks. **_So many wounded! How am I gonna keep up with…_**

 **:Knockout, bridge to this location. Have the med bay ready, please?:** Megatron’s voice rang through his comm and he nearly fainted in relief.

He ran back over to the controls, pushing a confused and irritated Arcee out of the way as he reset the coordinates.

“Hey! Not everyone has come through yet!” The irritating femme said, but Knockout ignored her as he searched the screen in front of him.

 **:MEGATRON! HOLY FRAG! You MADE IT? I have been bridging in the others. Everything is back to normal! Everything has stopped! Wait… Did, did you find Ratchet? Is he ok?:** The medic commed back as he searched desperately for his Lord’s exact location. His spark was hammering within his chassis, but he fought to keep his servos still, just as Ratchet had taught him…

**_Please, Primus… Please make him be ok. Please bring him back to me! I beg you, don’t take him too!_ **

As the medic focused he cried out as he finally pinpointed his Lord’s position and set in the correct coordinates.

 **:He is fine, well, mostly. Send the damn bridge! Orion is dying!:** Megatron commed back to him, his leader’s voice raw, and concerned.

As Knockout pulled the switch to open the bridge he found himself wondering what Megatron meant that Ratchet was _mostly ok._ **_Ohhhh handsome, please, please let this be something I can fix!_**

Arcee growled at him, albeit weakly, “Knockout! What the frag do you think you are doing!? Bumblebee, Shockwave, _and_ a bunch of Vehicons are still down there! Why are you resetting…”

“Megatron just commed me, _femme!_ He said Orion is dying, have anymore issues!?” The medic said angrily, his red optics burning as he glared at her.

“Orion is… He is dying?” She asked quietly, her frame jumping as the bridge roared to life before them once more.

Knockout scoffed at her, turning as he made to run to the med bay and prepare it when two strange mech’s walked through the portal.

Both he and Arcee gaped as this huge white mech walked through carrying what looked to be a mangled mech of energon and metal. It wasn’t until Soundwave walked in, carrying a seemingly unharmed Ratchet that the red medic realized who he was looking at was his leader.

“Meg…Megatron!?” He croaked out, his intake hanging low as he scanned over his leader.

The white mech growled at him, his yellow optics blazing, “Med bay, now! Orion needs…”

The little broken pile of mech coughed hard, more energon erupting from his intake as he gasped raggedly for air.

Megatron, or, what resembled Megatron, pulled the broken scarred thing closer to his chest. “Shhh, Orion, it is alright I have you love. I have you.” He whispered gently, before lifting his great helm to glare at Knockout. “WELL!?”

The medic yelped as he forced his frame to move, his optics scanning over Ratchet one more time before rushing off to the med bay.

 ** _Ratchet is back! He made it! Megatron made it! We didn’t lose anyone, well, not yet at least._** Stilling his shaking servos Knockout set his dermas as he realized how much work he had ahead of him. Every bot that he had seen so far had been injured one way or another, and now his leader’s mate... **_Or what is left of him._** He thought worriedly, was dying.

He grit his denta, shaking his weary helm as he fought to focus. **_Too much to do, and too many patients. I suppose it is time to see if the training me and Ratchet gave to those vehicons have paid off. Arcee can help too, and any bot willing. We just need to make sure that there is order and…_**

The medic suddenly chuckled as he realized how much Ratchet’s recent guidance had shown him, and how he would now have to be Chief Medical Officer. **_Haha, oh handsome, if you could see me now. Scrambling with limited supplies, working with trainees, and being the leading medic after a battle… I hope I do you proud handsome, I truly do._**

He vented as he walked into the med bay, radioing the vehicons they had trained as he got to organizing the berths and equipment. As the frames poured in, he focused only on orders as he determined severity of injuries, and where each bot should go.

Finally, as the stream of frames ebbed, and he instructed his trainees, and Arcee on what they should do, he finally got to work on his most severe case, little Orion. He stared down at the strange scarred mech, his dermas pulled tight with worry and confusion.

**_What happened to the Prime? What happened to Megatron? Why is he so small, and why is Megatron so… Arrrgh, It doesn’t matter! Focus mech! Focus on what is most important. You can ask these questions afterwards!_ **

He sighed as he got to work, his servos flying over the small mangled frame, welding, or fixing fuel lines as he went. It was going to be a long night for the Decepticon medic, a long week by the look of things, but he didn’t care.

His optics fleeted up to Ratchet’s silent frame for just a moment before he continued on with the mech beneath him. **_Wake up soon handsome… I have so much to tell you. You mean so much to me. Please, please come back to me._**

**_……………….._ **

Megatron groaned as he woke from his short recharge, the machines throughout the clinic beeping and chirping as they continued to monitor the mechs around him.

He sighed as he rubbed his helm, his yellow optics scanning over the equipment next to him blearily before turning to the berth in front of him. Orion lay there, as silent and unmoving as the day they had arrived back onto the Nemesis. His mangled frame slowly working towards recovery yet it seemed to the new Prime, that it wasn’t nearly fast enough.

It had been three solar-cycles since Unicron had been placed back into stasis. Three days and they were still working through the chaos the whole experience had wrought.

First came their own troops, as they had lost at least a quarter of the vehicons, and far too many of those that remained were injured to the point of incapacitation. Lugnut, Bulkhead, Ratchet, Predaking, and Orion were all still in stasis as well. Yet as they were working on their own, the world was also reeling from the chaos of Unicron’s awakening.

Many places across the Earth held great death tolls from the natural disasters, and even more structural damage to cities, and destruction to the surface of the planet in general.

The Autobot’s old contact Agent Fowler had attempted to contact both Optimus and Ratchet, only to have Arcee finally answer his calls. He requested a meeting as soon as possible, and had been brought up on the Nemesis, to his dismay of course. When he had arrived, with a motorcade of army vehicles and soldiers, the human had gaped at the newly appointed Prime, his shock mirroring the shock every Cybertronian had fallen too the first time they saw Megatron’s new frame.

To their credit, each bot actually handled the transition better than the former warlord had expected. His army easily accepted the new Prime, his Decepticons cheered, and the Autobots, though shocked, bowed before him respectfully, trusting in the faith both Orion and Primus had in him.

Watching them all bow to him was something the old Megatron would have delighted in with rancorous laughter, but now he just felt a weight on his spark he never wanted. He had taken this burden so he figured if he were to be saddled with this chain he would do his duties as Prime to the best of his ability, _but_ his way.

As he still retained his memories, mostly he was realizing now, he was going to be the Prime he _chose_ , not some damn path a god ordained for him. Yes, he would become Vindex Nox if the need arose, reactivating the Matrix to perform his duty to his people, but for now he was going to lead his team with his own processor, and spark.

His first duty to his people turned out to be an unexpected problem though, and it was Fowler that brought the issue to light two days ago.

The human, after recovering from his shock, had expressed that he carried heavy news as he paced anxiously, trying to find the right words. Normally Megatron would enjoy watching the little fleshbag stutter and twitch nervously, but the message the human carried had caused all of them reason to worry.

Apparently the United States Government was less than pleased with the damages caused by Unicron’s reawakening and needed someone to blame, so it was clear it had to be _their_ fault... They blamed Optimus/ Orion and Megatron for taking far too long in dealing with the threat, and also blamed them for how much damage was done because of their supposed lackadaisical response. The humans evidently considered their existence to be the catalyst for Unicron's reawakening,  and though they were not completely wrong, the context of that accusation  _was_ wrong. Well, Megatron angrily thought so,  at least...  _ **Ignorant fleshlings have no idea what horrors we saved them from, and yet blame us for not being fast enough in recovery? We never planned on Megatronus, or Unicron... Still here we sit being blamed for those monster's chaos!?**_

As such,  they were being given an ultimatum, either exile, or become registered _members_ of the U.S. government. Even though Fowler said members, Megatron had scowled knowing what he really meant was _property._

They would have to sign their lives away to be used for any purpose the humans found appropriate for the alien life forms. This _option_ also required they give the Nemesis to the humans for study, moving their base to one of the human’s choosing, and agreeing to participate in warfare and weapon development when needed.

As the acting Prime, and only leader at the moment for all of them, Autobots, and Decepticons alike had looked to him with what to do.

Megatron’s first thought was to step on the little parasite, crush the ungrateful pests that drove him there, declare war, and burn the world to ash, but… times were different now. He needed to be an _example_.

He vented heavily, his overworked processor reeling as he considered said _options._ He knew he would be damned before he took lifelong orders from the humans but being the fair Prime he had promised himself to be, he had sat down with all of the functioning members of his team, and called a vote.

It seemed Autobots and Decepticons could in fact agree on something as the vote was unanimous for them falling to exile. The Autobots were torn, sad to lose their human friends, but they too knew no good could have come from them becoming the property of the humans. So it was decided that in seven days’ time, they would take the Nemesis off planet, and never return.  

The fact that they almost didn’t get even the seven days had infuriated the new Prime even further, but with the unexpected, yet welcomed guidance of Arcee, he worked out a deal with the humans. Together they _calmly_ explained they would need to mine for energon, and needed time to prepare first and if they were not given that time they would be headed for certain death.

Megatron had taken a backseat on that conversation, his disgust with the whole situation fed his fury a little too easily, and he was afraid he would ruin it all.

The new Prime had to admit, having Arcee there had been a blessing, and he was amazed at how capable and intelligent the femme was. When she wasn’t a fragging arrogant piece of scrap, that was.

So now they had just five days left until they had to abandon the planet that they had inhabited for far too long and fly off with the _slight_ hope that they would be able to restore Cybertron when they got there.

Every bot was working full-time to prepare for their departure. Their mines were being emptied as quickly as possible, and the ship prepped and repaired to its highest working order.

 The last two days Megatron had been on the surface, working with his crew in numerous mines until his servos bled, and back felt like it had been crushed by a titan, only to arrive back at the Nemesis, and sit solemnly next to his silent love, and stare.

The bond break had greatly weakened the smaller mech, but Knockout had told him that until Orion’s frame was strong enough to handle the stress of another bond, it would be dangerous to immediately preform one. Losing the bond and Matrix had wreaked havoc on his love, and his spark was already so weak, but as the days continued, and his spark grew weaker, Megatron’s fears grew stronger.

He rubbed his tired faceplates as he checked over the stats on the screen next to him, frowning as he noticed Orion’s energy levels had fallen lower through the night. **_Oh Orion, what am I going to do with you?_**

He brought his helm up, a small smile forming on his faceplates as he scanned over his love’s scarred frame, and again he found himself awed by the sight of it.

Why Orion’s frame had mostly reverted back to its pre-Optimus form was beyond him, and why he still retained his predacon alt-mode was also a mystery; one it seemed could be answered by no one.

Primus had not spoken to him since he the battle with Unicron. Whether the reason for the silence was because of the Matrix’s power being lost, or something on a more _mystical_ level, Megatron wasn’t certain. He did wish someone, or _something_ would give him some answers though. Just staring at his love and watching him slowly deteriorate with no certainty of recovery, that was a nightmare he wished on no mech. He found himself wondering how Soundwave had done it with him for nearly a vorn, so long ago. As if hearing Megatron’s thoughts, the door to the med bay opened suddenly, and a weary Soundwave entered.

The darker mech smiled slightly and nodded his helm to his oldest friend before his deep blue optics fell to Orion. “How is he?”

Megatron vented, turning to scan over the readings once more, his spark aching as he realized the levels had already gone down another level since the last time he checked. “Arrrgh… Worse? How goes the mining?”

Soundwave frowned, his optics scanning over the same screen that Megatron had looked at. “Well enough, for the resource and mechs we have working on them. The southernmost mines have been cleared, and I sent the alpha group to the Eureka mine, and the other to North Fork. I split them depending upon frame type as North Fork is a bit of a distance away and the fliers will be faster in their travels. Strika is there now, and Arcee is with those in Eureka.”

Megatron nodded, his optics growing soft as he peered over at his oldest friend. “Thank you Soundwave, and well done, as always.”

Soundwave smiled back at him, his optics dim with exhaustion as he moved to the side of Orion’s berth. “His leg looks better, and his wing is nearly completely healed. I suppose that is a good sign.”

The Prime nodded slowly, “Yes well the sooner he fragging heals the better. I just hope to bond works as planned. Soundwave, there has been something I have been meaning to speak with you about, considering Orion, and creating a bond.”

Soundwave tilted his helm curiously as he crawled atop the berth, snuggling into the smaller mech’s frame as he did every time he returned from the mines, “Yes?”

Megatron sighed, smiling as he looked over the two mechs snuggled together, and took a moment to appreciate that scene. “I… I am uncertain if it should be me who performs the bond.” He said quietly, his yellow optics rising as he heard Soundwave’s venting cease. He looked up to find the darker mech frowning deeply.

“Megatron why… Why would you not be the one to do it? What…” Soundwave strangled out after a klik, lifting his frame on his elbow as he stared at his leader.

Megatron sighed once more, rubbing his helm as he did so. “What if I am needed to become Nox once again? That means I need to break the bond again. How many times will I have to put him through this agony? What if, what if one time he isn’t strong enough to recover? He is hardly here now! What if he doesn’t make…” He stopped himself from finishing the thought, the threat of that happening now was still too real.

Soundwave looked from him to Orion, his spark hammering in his chassis. “I… We don’t even know if a bond with me would be able to ease the pain in his spark. Can you bond with another again?”

“It is possible.” Knockout’s voice broke through their conversation and they both turned to the weary medic.

He sat next to Ratchet’s berth, his servo grasping the older mech’s tightly as he did every moment he had a chance to rest these days. Much like them he was waiting for answers to why Ratchet had yet to awaken, but none were found. Medically the older medic was fine, healed just as Soundwave had been, but still he had not awoken. They all had their theories though and the most common was that it had to do with the sparkling that now resided within him.

When Knockout had first discovered it he had nearly fainted, and when Soundwave had told him who’s sparkling it was, that had been a terrible moment for the red medic.

His first instinct was to rip the cursed thing from Ratchet’s chest. He was terrified that his lover was holding the offspring of one of the most evil creatures in the universe within him, but as he scanned over the little spark’s energy readings, he was amazed to find there were no indications of dark energy within the spark at all.

He had immediately called Shockwave as a second opinion and again, the readings were the same! If anything the sparkling had a great deal of positive energy flowing through it, far more than a normal sparkling, at least, according to old files. Knockout had never dealt with any real life instances of carrying bots as he had graduated without the training for In-Frame Creation.

He had never found it to be necessary considering there was always the Well, and many bots thought it was far too dangerous to be a natural carrier. Now though, he wished he had.

He wasn’t sure if Ratchet would decide to keep the sparkling when he woke, but Knockout had decided he would support him no matter what. He had already almost lost this mech, and that had haunted him. Haunted him enough to really look at how much Ratchet had come to mean to him.

Yes, they still had much to learn about one another, and how to love once again, but he knew in his spark he was more than willing to try, and he wished he had realized it sooner.

Knockout shook his helm, focusing back on his leader, “Bots can merge more than once, especially if there is a strong connection between the two bonding. True it doesn’t always take, but given all of your histories together, I think it would work for you.”

Megatron nodded, his optics rising up to Soundwave’s but he found the other mech still frowning. “Is, is there a way to have a bond between three mechs?”

The Prime raised his optical ridge at that. He had never thought about something like that as he had never heard of such a thing ever existing.

Knockout frowned, his optics falling in thought. “I… I honestly don’t know. I think I once heard of something like that. I think it is a rare occurrence though as most trines normally consist of a mated pair and then a third.” He looked up at Soundwave, his faceplates suddenly looking sheepish as smiled apologetically. “Not that the third member isn’t nearly as important, of course.”

Soundwave smiled back patiently, and the medic still found himself amazed at how the darker mech never wore his mask anymore. **_How much the three of them have changed… It is incredible._** Knockout thought, his optics scanning over Ratchet once more, and he smiled broader. **_I guess we all have, haven’t we handsome?_**

“Anywho,” he started again. “The mech that would probably know that answer is Ratchet. Of course, you would need to wait for him to wake up. Whenever that might happen is any bot’s guess.” Knockout said the last part quietly, his spark aching with worry.

Megatron sighed as he looked over Knockout’s miserable faceplates before turning back to Orion. **_I know that feeling Knockout, far too well, and far too often._**

**_……………………_ **

Another day passed, more energon was frantically collected, and more bots healed. On that same day, Bulkhead and Lugnut woke, both groggy and confused, but the team, who had fallen into a sort of depressed but determined state of processor, finally had something to celebrate.

Megatron had told them all to take the night off, allowing them all to gather and rejoice in their teammates' recoveries. All went to the training room, playing music and enjoying whatever high-grade they could find, all except for Knockout, Soundwave, and Megatron.

Megatron and Soundwave both flew off to the North Fork mine to continue working, and Knockout, as always, stayed behind to monitor his remaining patients.

The medic sighed as he went from berth to berth, inputting all of the readings into the data pad he held as he went until he suddenly heard a groan and the familiar clicks and whirling sounds of reboot sound behind him.

Knowing who was behind him, made the medic freeze, and his spark fall to his tanks. His servos shook as he turned slowly, not allowing hope to grasp his spark too tightly, and gasped as he saw two familiar, wonderful, beautiful, and confused blue optics crack open.

He nearly dropped the pad he had as he scrambled to Ratchet’s side. “Holy slag, holy slag… Hey, hey there handsome. Take it, take it easy.” He said nervously, as the older mech groaned once more, he supposed he was rambling to a point, and didn’t want to overwhelm the poor mech, but he could ‘t help it.

Ratchet rubbed at his chest plates, an unfamiliar ache throbbing in his spark as he lifted his helm to find the gorgeous, albeit worried, faceplates of a very familiar mech. “We all died, didn’t we?” He said gruffly as he stared disbelieving at the mech before him.

Knockout hadn’t realized he had ceased venting until he tried to bark out a laugh, but all that came out was a strangled sob. “Afraid not, love.” He said, his optics brimming with coolant as he scanned over the older mech’s frame.

Ratchet smiled weakly up at him, “Now I know I am dead, because you just said…” The older mech never had a chance to finish as Knockout’s medical professionalism crumbled and he fell over him with a cry.

“I love you! I love you! I love you, I love you, I love you!” He cried out, his frame shaking, and optics bleeding coolant as he held on to the older mech as tight as he could without hurting him.

Ratchet blinked in concern, and shock as he ran his servos over the red mech’s back plates gently. “Heeey, hey it is ok, Knockout. I… I don’t understand…”

“Ohhhh, Ratchet! I almost lost you! I… I swore if you ever came back to me, I would stop being such a stupid aft and tell you the truth! I love you! I love you so much and when you were gone, and no one knew what had happened to you, and you could have died… Ohhhhhh!” Knockout sobbed raggedly as he held the mech beneath him, all of the stress, fears, loss that he had felt finally falling off his shoulders in a wave of anguish and relief.

Ratchet frowned, his muddled processor trying to remember what had happened. He remembered Megatronus, a huge fight, Orion came back and… **_ORION!?_**

Suddenly those wretched memories of stabbing Orion, and being taken over by Unicron filled his processor, and he moaned brokenly. “Ohhh no, Knockout. Orion, is he… Did I…”

The red medic heard Ratchet’s voice suddenly go shrill and he forced himself to calm down enough to pick himself up. As Ratchet’s frame began to hitch, and he covered his faceplates with his servos, Knockout quickly realized Ratchet didn’t know the Prime, or old Prime? Anyways, that Orion lived!

“Noooo, shhh, it is alright lover! He survived! That’s, that’s how they saved you! See,” The red medic pointed over to where Orion was lying, “He is right there.”

Ratchet forced himself to calm his aching spark as he began to push himself off his berth, but Knockout grabbed his shoulders. “Whoa there! You have been through some slag, handsome! Take it easy, ok? I will _let_ you go over to him, but only if you go slow, and listen to your medic.”

The other medic growled, his intake opening for some sort of retort, but he paused for a klik, his optics looking up at Knockout’s appreciatively. “Well, well, finally sounding like a true chief medic.”

Knockout laughed as he wiped his faceplates, “Well, I learned from the best.” As Ratchet’s faceplates suddenly burned bright blue, Knockout laughed harder, his spark feeling lighter than it had is so very long.

“I don’t know about best…” Ratchet grumbled out, his optics rolling as he allowed Knockout to help him sit up. He groaned as his back struts cracked and popped back into place, he had obviously been lying down for some time.

Knockout steadied the older mech, his frame still shaking with the storm of emotions Ratchet’s awakening left him with. The older medic looked down at Knockout’s servos, a frown forming on his faceplates. “Are you alright?” He asked gently, but the younger mech merely laughed.

“Ohhh, I am soooo ok. You have no idea. Come on, let’s get you up so you can see Orion. Then it’s right back to berth!” Knockout said sternly, but his optics shone playfully.

Ratchet nodded as he pushed himself to his pedes slowly, the red mech helping to lift him, and together the two of them made their way across the med bay.

As they neared the berth, Ratchet felt his intake go dry, and his spark swirl with confusion and awe as he scanned over the sleeping mech. **_What… What the frag? Orion?_**

He gasped, his servo going to his intake as he beheld faceplates he hadn’t seen in eons. “Primus… He… He…” Ratchet croaked out, his already weak legs feeling weaker and he heard Knockout groan beside him.

“Frag Ratchet, I am sorry. I forgot to warn you. Ummm, a lot has changed since you, well… Anyways, after Unicron was defeated he came back looking like this. No one knows why, but Megatron thinks it has something to do with him now carrying the Matrix.”

Ratchet’s optics bulged at that, “WHAT!? Megatron has the… WHAT!?”

Knockout nodded, a smile on his faceplates, “Yeah, craaaazy, am I right? But there it is. You should see him, all white and slag. Looks good, for a Prime, must have some instant _handsomiser_ in there, or Primus is just shallow. Only good looking mechs can be Primes, who knows?”

Ratchet shook his helm, picturing Megatron, _the_ Megatron as a Prime? It just seemed insane, but then again, what wasn’t insane these days? Here he stood staring down at the Orion that had left him so very long ago well, mostly.

Ratchet placed his servos down on Orion’s berth, his wide optics scanning over his small scarred frame incredulously. “He still holds predacon alt-form? I wonder why?” He said quietly, brushing his servo over the small mech’s helm. In his spark whirled a world of chaos. He had thought he had killed him, his child, his little one and now here he lay, relatively safe, and in a frame that the medic had never thought he would behold ever again.

“Ohhh, Orion… Thank you Primus, thank you…” Ratchet moaned out as he lowered himself to kiss Orion’s scarred cheek.

Knockout stood a little ways back watching silently. He was close enough to help if Ratchet needed it, but he figured his lover needed a moment with the mech he considered his son. **_Oh Ratchet… wait till you learn everything that has happened. Do you even realize what is growing inside you?_**

The old medic felt coolant fill his optics as he stared at the mech beneath him, his frame shaking with relief and guilt. **_I will apologize, the moment he awakens. I will let him know how sorry I am. Not just for what Unicron made me do, but for not trusting him, or rather, believing in him. If I had just believed him, Unicron wouldn’t have had such an open door and…_**

Ratchet shook his helm, rubbing along Orion’s faceplates one last time before collecting himself. He vented as he stood tall, he was still weak, but not nearly as badly as before and it was time to figure out what had happened.

He looked over to the younger medic, his optics blazing with purpose, “Alright Knockout, what the _frag_ has been going on he… wait,” Ratchet froze as he finally realized what Knockout had been saying as he broke down. “Did… Did you say you… That you loved me?”

The red medic laughed, shaking his helm as he went to the stunned mech’s side and helped him back to his berth. “Hahaha, I was wondering when that would hit ya, but considering all the slag you need to catch up on, I figured I could wait.”

“Wait?” Ratchet exclaimed turning to the younger mech. “WAIT!? Slag it Knockout, I have waited…” The old medic took a deep vent and calmed himself, his spark reeling from what Knockout had said, doubt slithering through his processor. “Knockout, just because you almost lost me… You're… You're just overwhelmed and, and also…”

Ratchet’s helm fell as his servo ran across his chestplates unconsciously. He had remembered what Unicron did to him, but between learning Megatron was a Prime, and Orion was alive, he hadn’t gotten a chance to deal with the dark reality of what was growing in his spark. He was certain Knockout would know now, being a medic and all, but what he thought of it… **_What do I think of it? Do I kill it? If I don’t am I just setting Cybertron up for destruction? Could I watch this sparkling grow up to become a monster but, can I kill a sparkling? Especially after experiencing the loss of one already?_**

Knockout’s servo suddenly cupped his helm, and Ratchet looked up to find the other mech’s soft optics sparkling at him, “I know. I know about the sparkling, and I want you to know… First, how sorry I am that it was forced upon you, and no I don’t know the details, but when you are ready I am willing to listen. Second,” Knockout leaned in close to the mech he loved, his smile gentle and field emitting nothing but truth and comfort. “I promise to support whatever you choose to do with it.”

Ratchet blinked at him, fear, and awe thundering in his spark. “Knockout it… It could be a monster, I… don’t know what to do.” He said quietly, his optics filling with coolant once more as he looked away shamefully.

“I, I saw it Ratchet. I scanned it, Shockwave scanned it and we both came up with the same conclusion,” Knockout said softly, turning the other mech’s helm back to his. “There isn’t an ounce of Unicron’s dark energy in it. Not one bit.”

Ratchet’s optics narrowed, and he looked down at his chest plates in confusion, “Ho…how?

The younger mech shrugged, “Soundwave said during the battle with Unicron, Orion did this whole big _blasty_ thing of power. The blast instantly healed your frames, thus the perfect job on yours, I can’t take credit for that, _but_ I think, through that blast, Orion’s power also may have purified the spark inside you. AGAIN, this is just a theory, but the numbers are there, and if you want to keep it, I wouldn’t be afraid of it becoming any more of a monster than you are.” The red medic said with a chuckle as he helped Ratchet sit back down to his berth.

The older medic vented deeply, surprise and hope fleeting through his spark. **_It has been purified? By Orion? That means… In a way, by Primus. Holy frag, if that is true… If…_**

Ratchet looked up to Knockout’s bright optics, his blue searching for doubt in them, for judgment, for… “I want to keep it.” He said quietly, his intake working before his processor even had time to stop his words.

Knockout’s smile grew wondrously, and his optics sparkled with excitement. “I bet you will be a great carrier, Ratchet. I mean, just look what you did with Orion. You two will make a wonderful family.”

Ratchet smiled broadly back at him, until he realized what the red mech had said, “Knockout, I… I don’t want it to just be the two of us. If… If you would… I mean… Arrrgh, frag it. I love you mech, I if you love me, I fully expect you to be his Sire and all the responsibilities that entails! You fraggin…”

Ratchet never finished as Knockout yelped excitedly, before jumping on him. “Ahhh!” Ratchet cried out as he crashed down onto the berth beneath him, but his cry turned to moans as Knockout pressed his dermas tightly against his.

Hope and wonder filled Ratchet’s spark as he lifted his arms up and around the beautiful mech above him and held him tightly. **_He loves me! Even after everything! Oh Primus… What, what have I done to deserve such a mech!?_**

The two mech’s let the world fall away for that moment. They didn’t think of their fears, or what struggles they would have to face. All they focused on was the glory of one another, and the promise of the family they had both ached for, for far too long…

Finally the two mechs pulled away, each smiling like fools as they stared into each other’s optics.

“Oh handsome, I love you.” Knockout said huskily, and Ratchet laughed.

“I love you too Knockout, and I promise I will illustrate that more intimately real soon but first you need to tell me, just what the frag has been going on?”

Knockout sighed as he pulled himself from the medic’s frame, painfully ignoring the heated ache in his lower chassis as he gathered his thoughts. “Ohhh boy, well, where to begin? Ummm, weeellll, we are getting kicked off of Earth.”

“WHAT!?” 


	39. Scarred Memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, it has been nearly a month since I updated this story. I must confess I got lost. This story, it was my first, then You Are Safe Now happened, then Descent... and many others... This is the one that started it all, and I had forgotten how much I loved this tale. I was too worried about, well... everything. I have learned so much from so many readers, and this chapter, though short... I owe this chapter to two readers, in particular... Now there are many of you guys that I have totally had the honor to mention in other stories, but this time, it is a special thanks to HawkeyeRules, and Stardust.  
> So HawkeyeRules... You have supported this for a while, even when I feel so bogged down by doubt, you always have something kind to point out no matter the mess of a chapter i feel it may be, and I am honored by that, you have no idea how much so. So, thank you!  
> Stardust, you lit the fire, again. Through your many messages I have looked over this story from the beginning, and found myself coming back to the core of it all... Thank you. Thank you so much... You are awesome sauce!
> 
> There are so many to thank in the support of this and many of my writings; Danielle, FirstDragon, Optimus'+girl... Damn, you guys are right there with every piece, whether they flop or grow, thank you. Anywho, short chapter, sorry for errors, but I feel a confidence to continue this that I haven't felt in a long time.

Megatron groaned as he straightened his back, each gear and cable clicking painfully back into place as he stood from the floor of the silent mine. He looked down at his bleeding servos, memories from long ago flickering through his processor, as he did so. **_I never thought I would find myself digging in mines again, and as a Prime no less._**

He chuckled quietly as he leaned against the cool wall to the left of him, his venting ragged from the effort of digging. He shuttered his optics as exhaustion ran through his frame once more. **_At least some are able to celebrate tonight._**

He thought of his crew, all celebrating in their companion’s health, and the last time he had dragged a load of energon to the surface, he had received a message from Knockout excitedly explaining how Ratchet had awoken finally, _and_ decided to keep the sparkling.

The medic was evidently concerned about a sparkling growing in his own frame as he was a bit older than most, so Arcee was to transfer it to Knockout’s  frame soon enough, but regardless, it was one more reason to celebrate.

Everything seemed to be working out splendidly, even with them being exiled, and scrambling for supplies. They had made it, they had made it through the Fallen’s plans, they had placed Unicron back into stasis, there was an actual sparkling that was to be born, yes, everything seemed to be coming together, everything but Orion.

The new Prime’s shoulders sagged as he worked his way back down into the mine, stopping once he found a glowing line of energon. For now all he had was his servos to dig the precious material from the earth, all of the larger mining tools being at the other dig sites. He didn’t care really, the pain helped distract him from the all-consuming worry he had for his… mate?

Megatron felt his spark ache once more, sorrow filling him as he longed for the return of the comforting presence of his love’s energy to be there with him, inside him.

He felt hollow, weakened, and lost without Orion’s energy mingling with his own. Sure he had gone eons without the other but to have it taken from him, not once, but twice? Not only that, but to see Orion strapped to so many wires and devices, each trying to keep his weakened spark from dwindling to darkness, all because he had had to become a Prime!?

“ARRRRGH!” Megatron’s fist flew before he realized what he was doing, and he grimaced as pain shot up his arm as he hit the wall before him.

He never wanted to be a Prime, he never wanted to be _anything_ special! He wanted fuel, a job, a home, A FAMILY! He roared as he lifted his other servo and swung forwards hard, crashing that one into the wall as well.

Orion never wanted to be special either! He wanted to read, to laugh, to hope, dream, LOVE, LIVE, TO JUST BE FRAGGIN HAPPY! Instead, INSTEAD they were torn into over and over again. Each ripped down to their very core and then still forced to carry on for everyone else! Was it really so selfish of them to HAVE FRAGGIN DREAMS!?

“ARRRRRGH! FRAG YOOOU, PRIMUS!” Megatron bellowed out, his voice echoing down the tunnel he was in, yet all that answered were the echoes of his own horrid screams. No gods answered,  no divine beings, just his own mournful cries... Like always.

“Why…” Megatron asked, his voice gruff yet quiet, his vocalizer filled with static. “Why does it always come down to us? I am _tired_ Primus. I am tired of this war, I am tired of the losses, I am tired of always hoping just for you to come and TEAR IT ALL AWAY! I HAAATE YOU!”

Megatron roared louder, his fists flying into the wall before him over and over again. He didn’t even feel the pain now, why would he when his very core felt like it was on fire. Individual pain meant nothing compared to the loss of his mate’s bond.

Would Orion ever awaken? How long would it take? His own recovery from their first bond break had taken almost an entire vorn! What if… What if it takes longer!? Would he have to rebuild Cybertron alone? Could he even do it? They needed Orion’s spark, didn’t they? Would his love recover just to sacrifice his spark to the planet!? No, NO… **NO!**

Agony shot up his arm suddenly and Megatron hollered as he pulled his servo close, his burning optics dripped coolant as he looked down at his now broken servo. He growled, his frame hitching as he fought from punching the fragging wall once again in frustration. **_Great! Now I cannot even dig! Arrrrrgh! FRAG THIS ALL!_**

He wiped the coolant from his faceplates with his good servo, surprised to see that one bleeding terribly as well, and he was fairly certain energon was now smeared across his face. He laughed miserably, shaking his helm as he turned, his back falling to the destroyed wall before he slumped to the ground in a ball.

They had done what they needed to, hadn’t they? They saved Earth, stopped the Fallen… Couldn’t they just, _rest_?

“Orion…” Megatron moaned out, his frame shaking more… He scoffed laughing bitterly _. **‘My’ frame…**_

Even that was taken from him, this alien frame so decorated, shinning, and all of his scars were gone… That bothered more than anything. He prided himself in the story of his frame. The numerous cracked plates, the deep scars from gladiatorial fights to eons of war. It was an ugly story, one that he had many regrets about, but it was _his_ story.

There he had held all of his failures, and his victories as well as… As well as other personal scars. Like the scar just above his knee, the scar from the blaster fire from Senator Proteus after he had found Orion in chains, and foolishly forgotten all about the evil fragger until it was too late.

Many nights after his sparkling and Orion were gone, he would look at that scar, and lament. No, it wasn’t a noble scar, but it told a story, the story of how had he just shot the bastard outright he wouldn’t have lost his sparkling, he wouldn’t have been so weak when it came Decimus, and he could have been able to save Orion from becoming a Prime…  And now, it was gone, all gone as they all were.

Now he stood in gleaming white armour, his spikes gone, a long flowing cape falling from his shoulder like some _filthy noble_.  

 ** _It could be worse…_** He thought to himself, smirking slightly as he looked at his broken servo. **_Guess it won’t take long to help recreate some of those scars…_**

He sighed, leaning his heated aching helm back against the wall of the mine. In many ways this moment pulled at old memories. He recalled when, long ago, he had discovered Orion had been taken by Vice. He had walked through the tunnels that surrounded his base then, and lost it. Punching the walls around and cursing Primus very much like he was now, and did it change anything? **_No… No it didn’t._**

Megatron shook his helm, his spark aching terribly. “Primus, I am not meant to be a Prime. I know, or I think I know why you forced me to choose, but I beg you, can you just leave my family be? Leave Orion, let him be happy with Soundwave. Let them live peacefully. If I must be your Prime, I ask that of you… I _beg_ that of you.”

He looked at the rocky ceiling above him, his optics burning still, and a few drips of coolant escaped them. “Save him. Let there be a different way to bring Cybertron back. Don’t take his spark. He, he is more than a light for just me. He gives us all a light for the darkness we have trudged through. He is better than me, better than all of us, and even better than _you_.” He growled the last part out, not certain if it was good to continue to mock the god that now had a direct link to his spark, but he didn’t care. He felt it was true. Orion was better than them all…

He rubbed his helm with his good servo. “If you take him…” Megatron sighed, the weight on his shoulders so very heavy. “If you take him, Primus, I am going too. I will end my spark without a blink. I promise you that.”

“Megatron?” Soundwave’s voice called to him gently, and the white mech lifted his helm to find his oldest friend walking towards him.

The Prime groaned, shifting so he wasn’t so balled up as he waited for the smaller mech to approach. “Soundwave.” He said gruffly, noting how Soundwave’s optics fell to his servo, but the darker mech didn’t say anything about it.

“I heard screaming.” Soundwave said softly, crouching before his leader, his helm tilted as he looked at the ruined, energon covered wall that Megatron sat against.

Megatron chuckled bitterly. “I was conversing with our ever absent deity.”

Soundwave smiled a small smile, “Conversing, hmmm?”

Megatron shook his helm, his optics dimming as he looked to the ground. He watched as his energon slowly started creating a puddle beneath him, his energon dripping into the sands as the earth eagerly sucked it in, molding his life force with its surface. He smiled wearily at the image, Earth, Cybertron, gods, so many things were indeed sucking at his life source, leaving naught but pain and hunger for him. “I am tired, Soundwave.”

His voice sounded far more hollow than he wanted it to, but he found he couldn’t help it. He was tired, so very, very tired and out of all the bots that were in this universe, Soundwave was the one mech he was always completely honest with. He would pretend to be together for the others, take his Primacy seriously, and take care of the responsibilities that _privilege_ forced him to, but with Soundwave, he could fall, he could break.

Soundwave nodded, his optics rising to look at his friends worn faceplates. “We have been through much recently.” He said thoughtfully.

“I miss him. I know he lives, I know I can curl up next to him, touch him, but my spark…” Megatron felt his optics burn once more. “I have been half a mech for so long Soundwave, you think I would have gotten used to it by now. That, that it wouldn’t hurt so much.”

“Megatron, reestablish the bond! Maybe with you being a Prime, if you create the connection now, it will hold even if you return as Vindex Nox? You never bonded with Optimus after the Matrix came to him. Who knows, if you had maybe…”

Megatron laughed angrily, his good servo fisting at his side, “Ohhh, if that is the case, I have even more to feel guilty for when it comes to not realizing Optimus was Orion.” He scoffed, rubbing at his chest plates. “Who knows if he even would want to be bonded to me again. He remembers everything now, remember? Ohhh, Soundwave...”

The former warlord groaned gripping at his chest harder now. “To look at him now, in his little scarred form, and answer for everything I have done, it makes it so much worse. In his Prime form, or even Primus’s form, it was so much easier to look at him and not hate myself. Now, now I am looking at Orion! I mean, haha, with fangs and a tail, but his optics, his scars…”

Soundwave nodded, his faceplates falling as he thought about his love as well. “I understand, Megatron, but like you told _me..._  We cannot run from this. He doesn’t deserve that, even if we… Even if we do.”

The two mechs were silent for a moment, each lost in their dark thoughts when Megatron finally grunted and pulled himself to his pedes. “Well, now that I have foolishly made myself useless, I will return to the Nemesis.” He looked down at the darker mech, “Will you be joining me?”

Soundwave sighed, and shook his helm. “I will bring this load up with you, but I think I will stay. There is still much to do, and if I can get some more of this mined I think it will help everyone survive a little longer.”

Megatron smiled at his friend, his servo going to the mech’s shoulder, “Thank you, Soundwave. I apologize for foolishly breaking my servo. Are you sure you will be alright, out here all on your own?”

Soundwave laughed lightly, “Well, I just helped take down a god. I think I can handle anything that may jump out at me now.”

Megatron laughed as well, grabbing his cart as Soundwave went for his, and the two friends began walking towards the exit of the mine.

As the moon light began to shine before them Megatron vented wearily, “Did you hear about the sparkling?” He asked nonchalantly, his optics peering at the smaller mech.

Soundwave nodded, a small sad smile forming on his faceplates. “Yes, it is… It is wonderful news, for them. They will make a happy family.”

Megatron nodded as well, a small sad smile on his faceplates as well. “Yes, yes they will.”

There was silence for a bit each keeping stiff, simple smiles on their faceplates.

Soundwave looked at his leader, “I suspect Strika and Lugnut are going to try for a sparkling soon as well. Though I imagine it will be Lugnut carrying.”

Megatron snorted, “I agree, I cannot imagine Strika being hindered by being sparked. Of course, every bot should be rather careful. Filling the ship with sparklings isn’t necessarily a good idea. Maybe once Cybertron… Well, if we can… Restore it I mean.”

Both mechs fell silent once more, each considering what that may cost.

“Do, do you think he will have to, to sacrifice his…” Soundwave started, but stopped as Megatron’s sudden growl ripped through the tunnel loudly.

“When doesn’t he have to _sacrifice,_ Soundwave!? When do any of us _not_ have to sacrifice!?” Megatron vented angrily, his façade of calm falling away to the bitterness and pain in his spark. “Frag it. I am so tired. I, I look at all of these mechs and I am happy for them. Ratchet, Knockout, Lugnut, Strika… But I can’t help but wonder, will we ever have the simplicity, the glorious gift of being simple? When will it be OUR FRAGGIN TURN!?”

Soundwave stopped walking, his own spark feeling heavy. Though he had suffered in his own way through Orion’s and Megatron’s trials, he was never at the forefront of the weight destiny held for the two mechs. No, much like Ratchet, he was just there to pick up the broken pieces, and glue the two mechs together again.

In many ways that was a sobering and difficult task. During the war, seeing Megatron fall to his episodes, to see him rage one moment, and then collapse the next, to listen to him call out desperately for Orion while he dreamt, it had been terribly difficult to stay strong that whole time, and now he had to be strong once more.

He vented deeply, looking past the pain he felt, and looking to that sliver of hope that had kept him going long after that fateful night.The night that had changed everything. The hope that had kept him strong for his friend, kept him fighting through it all, and he pulled at that thin, weak strand once again. “Megatron, I think you should bond with him. I think it would heal him, and I think it will destroy him to not be bonded with you again. We don’t know what is going to happen from here on out, but why not _try_ and live to the best of our capacity?”

 He smiled up at his friend, happy to see the white mech looking at him, and listening intensely. “Life is short in many ways, and yet so very long in others. A day could change everything, or a night… We know that better than most. So, do yourself a favor, and Orion, and _live_. Live like there are no nightmares to come. Smile like the universe is yours, and dream as if anything is possible.”

Megatron blinked at the smaller mech, his spark aching to want to live like that, to hope like, that but he was so afraid it would all come crashing down as it always seemed to.

Almost as if the smaller mech could hear his thoughts Soundwave smiled and shrugged. “We may all die tomorrow, Megatron. So, so why not try to live to the fullest, and do it without a heavy spark?” He smiled, placing his servo on the larger mech’s arm. “Live, Megatron. Live for today, love for today, it, it may be all you have. Do not waste another moment of this precious time fearing for everything that is probably going to happen anyways. At least you will fall knowing you didn’t waste a moment.”

The Prime stood there, his optics glistening, and spark throbbing as he stared at the wonder of a mech before him. “Soundwave…” He started, yet found he didn’t know what to say. Thank you? You are incredible? I have been so foolish? What would I do without you… Instead he stepped forwards, and with a heavy vent, wrapped his arms around the smaller mech and pulled him close.

Soundwave smiled, his helm tucking into the larger mech’s arms as he sighed. He knew this position well enough now. No, they had never hugged often in all the vorns they had known one another, but through the war, when the nightmares grew too awful, and the pain too agonizing, they had found some small comfort in each other, just like this.

“I love you, Soundwave.” Megatron whispered, his helm resting against the top of the other mech’s as he held him tightly.

“And I love you as well, Megatron.” Soundwave smiled as he snuggled deeper into the larger mech’s embrace. He knew even with his friend being larger, stronger, and now a Prime, it was him that held this wonder of a mech up right now, much like Orion did for both of them, so many times before.

The two stayed like that a moment longer, each reveling in the warmth of the other when suddenly both of their messaging systems went off at the same time.

Megatron frowned, his spark suddenly thundering as he looked nervously at Soundwave before opening the message. His spark jumped as he saw a list of messages from Ratchet, all of them coming in now that he wasn’t so far underground.

_-Orion is gone!-_

_-Why aren’t you two answering, damnit! Message me the moment you get out of that Pit forsaken cave!-_

_-We can’t pick his signal up. I left the med bay for a fragging klik and he was gone!-_

_-FRAGGIN ANSWER ME! ORION IS GONE!-_

Megatron and Soundwave immediately ran out of the tunnel. “You have got to be fragging kidding me!” Megatron cried out. _**Did Orion wake on his own? His leg is hardly healed, and his frame is a mess... How could he... How could he leave the ship? Did he leave the ship? Why would he even leave the med bay? How will we find him now?**_

Ever since Orion had taken on his new frame, well, the Primus oriented one he had had an untraceable signal, and now he didn’t even have his bond to find the mech with! How was he going to find the mech! Where would he GO!? WHY WOULD HE LEAVE!? WHERE WAS HE!?

“Alright, let’s think. Where could he go, where _would_ he go?” Soundwave said, trying to keep his voice still and calm, even as it felt like his spark was going to jump out of his chassis.

“I DON’T FRAGGIN KNOW! I don’t even know… Frag, does he remember everything now? I mean, he gave the Matrix to me, his frame reverted back, what if he is just Orion now, well, young Orion!? Why would he leave the ship!? What are we going to do!? What do… ARRRRRGH, DAMNIT!” Megatron scanned the starlit sky, his frame shaking as he fell to full blown panic.

“No, no he seemed to remember, but… I am not certain.” Soundwave shook his helm. “I am going to comm Ratchet and get the details of what exactly happened.”

Megatron nodded numbly as his processor whirled with possibilities. **_Orion, where are you!? Why would you leave? How could you leave? Did you leave, were you taken? What the FRAG! Not one moment, Primus!? NOT ONE!?_**


	40. Stories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Guys! You are so awesome sauce! SO, this chapter is a long hard conversation. Orion now has time to look into everything he remembers, he is finally whole, some rough shit to face. Anywho, ENJOY! Sorry for errors.

After Soundwave had spoken to Ratchet, both he and Megatron had taken off towards the Nemesis. They weren’t certain that Orion would be on the ship, but they had no idea where the smaller mech might be at that point, so it was somewhere to start.

The entire team had stopped their celebrating as they all broke up and began to search for the lost mech. They searched every quarter, hallway, office, and none could find him. They had also tried to comm the mech, but either he was somewhere where there was severe interference, or he had shut off his comms, or he just wasn’t answering.

“Arrrrgh! WHERE IS HE!?” Megatron yelled, his good servo ripping at his helm as he paced the command deck.  He had brushed Ratchet away when the medic had tried to tend to his servo, insisting that Orion was far more important at the moment.

Soundwave was at his console, furious with himself for not having paid better attention to the ship’s surveillance logs. Since he was normally mining these days, or in the med bay he now had to search through numerous unorganized logs to try and find the ones from this solar-cycle. Pit, since the who escapade with the Fallen, Unicron, all of it, he had fallen behind on his normal duties.

“Have you found the logs yet?” Megatron asked for the twentieth time, his large frame looming over the darker mech.

“No.” Soundwave grated out, his optics franticly scanning each folder’s log number.

Megatron vented out hard, gripping his helm tighter. “Why would he leave? He has to be on the ship! HE HAS TO BE! His leg was hardly healed! Why would he run like a, like an IDIOT!?”

Ratchet suddenly ran into the command center. “Well?”

“NOTHING YET!” Soundwave’s yelled out angrily, his servos shaking as they flew over his controls. **_This is my fault! All my fault! I should have done my job better, I should have done EVERYTHING BETTER! If I had been working on the logs like…_**

The darker mech nearly jumped out of his plating when he felt a heavy but gentle servo fall to his shoulder, and he tore his optics from the screen before him to find Megatron looking down at him.

“It is not your fault, Soundwave. You were in the med bay for a long time after the battle with Megatronus, and then we had Unicron… It is not your fault.” The white mech said, his yellow optics blazing with truth, but Soundwave could only nod, before turning back to the screen before him.

Megatron sighed rubbing his faceplates as he turned back to Ratchet. “So, tell me again, he was just as low in levels as when we left, yes? So, how can he be walking around? His leg… Nevermind the state of his spark!”

Ratchet grabbed at his chest plates, the sparkling within him fluttering with his worry. **_Ahhh, hush little one. With all this trouble I wonder if I will ever be able to do the transfer. I am worried the little thing won’t last long in my frame._**

The old medic shook his helm, “I don’t know Megatron, and I wish I did, but things are never impossible with Orion. You know that.” He sighed heavily, “I think, I think it may have to do with getting his memories back though.”

Megatron paused his chaotic thoughts to tilt his helm curiously at the older mech, “Why do you say that?” He asked cautiously.

The smaller mech looked up at him, his optics dim, and sorrowful, “Wherever he is, I think he took the sparkling’s frame with him.”

Megatron’s golden optics widened, his processor whirling as Ratchet continued. “The little thing was on the berth across from him and now he and it, are gone. Maybe he needed a moment to think, but I don’t know where he would…”

“I know where he is.” Megatron whispered, his spark calming slightly as he berated himself for not thinking of the location before.

“WHAT!?” Both Soundwave and Ratchet asked hurriedly.

“Where Megatron?” Soundwave asked moving up to his leader.

“Come, Soundwave. I think it is about time to have that talk.” The former warlord said as his optics dimmed more and he began to make his way towards the ground bridge. “I will comm you when we find him, Ratchet.” Megatron called out behind him, and Soundwave bewilderedly followed the new Prime.

“You mean _if_ you find him, Megatron.” Ratchet said, equally confused to where the larger mech thought Orion might be.

Megatron paused, his helm turning to look at the older mech sadly. “Oh, he will be there. Think, Ratchet. Where did Optimus always go when he needed to escape, when he needed a moment of peace?”

As the two mechs continued on, Ratchet frowned for a klik, thinking hard on where the other mech might be talking about when suddenly he hit his helm with his servo. “Of course… Ohhh, I hope he made it there, being in his condition and all.” He said quietly to himself.

The older mech sighed, his worry easing as he slumped heavily into the command chair. **_Oh Orion… I have no idea what it must be for you to remember everything. I should have thought of this beforehand. To go from knowing nothing but flashes to everything at once?_**

Ratchet rubbed his faceplates, “Primus, I hope this doesn’t do more damage to his processor, or… Or his spark.”

…………………………

Both Soundwave and Megatron arrived at the glen a bit of a distance away, afraid they might scare Orion if they just immediately appeared before him. Considering his weak spark and state of frame, they wanted to avoid that outcome.

 ** _Nevermind his state of processor…_** Megatron thought begrudgingly as he stepped over many of the broken trees and ruined landscape.

Since their fight here with Megatronus, Orion’s glen had turned more into a field of dead vegetation than anything, and Megatron felt badly for that. So many things had been changed for the smaller mech recently, and even more were about to change with them being exiled.

He sighed heavily, his golden optics rising to the hill above them, searching for any sign of the smaller mech.

Luckily it was fairly bright tonight, the moon nice and full so it helped the two mechs to see a bit better, yet so far they had not spotted anything but torn up trees, and earth.

Just as Megatron felt his spark begin to clench, worrying that maybe he was wrong, he heard a soft voice coming from ahead of him and froze. Soundwave too picked up the sound, his helm tilting as he tried to decipher what it could be.

“It doesn’t sound like him.” Soundwave whispered out.

Megatron hummed thoughtfully, “No it doesn’t.” He looked behind them, his optics adjusting to their most sensitive setting as he scanned the ruined landscape around them.

Suddenly Soundwave shook his helm, “Wait, it wouldn’t! We are foolishly listening for Optimus, but Orion’s voice was much…”

“Softer.” Megatron said, his spark skipping as he began to follow the voice. He forced his long legs over more broken trees, and burned earth, his spark pulsing faster with each step as the voice became louder, and clearer.

“It  _is_ him,” Megatron vented out weakly, his servo covering his intake as he listened. There it was; the voice that had haunted him for eons, the voice that had called to him in his dreams and nightmares, the voice he never thought he would hear again. “Orion…”

The new Prime felt like he was stepping into a dream as he scrambled over the broken terrain, his pedes slipping as he clawed up the hill, ignoring the agony in his broken servo until finally, he found his love.

Orion had apparently found the one remaining spot in the cove was not completely blown apart, the surrounding trees creating a barrier almost, sheltering the little mech from the prying eyes of the rest of the world. He sat against a large boulder, his wings wrapped tightly around him, his wounded leg stretched out carefully as his frame rocked back and forth gently cradling something close to his chest.

Megatron froze when he realized his love wasn’t talking, but singing, singing to what he assumed was the tiny frame their sparkling would have inhabited so long ago.

“Orion…” Soundwave whispered out, his frame also freezing as he beheld the little scarred mech. The moonlight bathed Orion’s tiny frame in white light, its light so bright it seemed the mech was emitting the glow himself. His frame sparkling as he rocked the even smaller frame he held.

Soundwave tilted his helm, trying to listen to the words the little mech was singing when he heard Megatron vent raggedly, and he looked over at his friend worriedly. “Megatron?” He inquired quietly, not wanting to interrupt Orion’s moment.

“It’s my song. The song I used to sing when I was a sparkling in the underground. I, I told Orion I wanted to sing it to… To…” His optics filled with coolant as he watched Orion, his spark aching terribly as he listened to the song he had sung to Orion, so long ago.

“Close your optics little mech,

And imagine the sky above.

They say it has such colors there,

That all the bots do love.

The land is filled with colored gems,

The air flows cool, and light.

The surface day is dear they say,

Though, it glitters more at night.

I will find a life up there,

No matter the winding way.

You can’t give up upon your dreams,

No matter what the Masters say.

You are more than just a slave,

So be brave till you’re free.

The world can’t just be pain and fear,

There’s a beauty you’ve yet to see.

So find the light you know exists,

Don’t fall into the dark.

For life awaits with promise there,

and one to love your spark.”

Orion became quiet, his frame still rocking the little frame that he held so tightly, and the two mechs could only stare at their love in somber silence.

There, in that singular scene, in all of its raw crystalline beauty lay the entire story of the mech known as Orion Pax.

The ruined glen where he once found solace when the world grew too heavy, the scars that littered the his frame from his days of torture, his mismatched optics that once held such wonder, his wings and tail that he received when he had to become more than he was ever prepared for, his badly damaged leg from his battle to save the universe once again, and of course, the little frame he held so gently.

Optimus, Primus, and Orion, finally all together, each blended within spark and memories, Orion Pax was finally whole, in all of his tragic glory.

The little mech lifted his helm then, his tears glittering with the moon’s light as he looked to the sky. His red and blue optics shone brightly as he searched the stars. What he searched for, neither of his lovers truly knew, but for a mech as complicated, as fated, and as lost as Orion, they could only imagine what his spark needed to find in the heavens above.

Soundwave’s servo on his arm shocked the new Prime from his thoughts, and he looked down at the smaller mech surprised to find that his faceplates were covered in coolant.

“Let’s go to him?” Soundwave asked gently, and Megatron swallowed hard before forcing himself to move his frame forwards.

Orion’s helm turned as the larger mechs approached, his frame unconsciously curling tighter around the sparkling’s frame.

Megatron wiped at his faceplates, his golden optics dim as he moved next to Orion’s frame. He didn’t know what to say, or how to start, so instead he merely went to his knees.

Soundwave moved to Orion’s other side, and did the same.

The trine sat in silence, each of them locked in their own processors, each overwhelmed with memories from long ago, and all too recent.

Suddenly Orion’s engine grated, and the smaller mech groaned as his frame bent forwards. Both Megatron and Soundwave jumped at the sound, fear in their optics.

“Orion, you shouldn’t be out here in your condition.” Soundwave said gently, his frame moving closer to the scarred mech, but Orion just coughed weakly and smiled.

“I am… I am alright, Soundwave.” Orion whispered out, his frame shivering slightly as he curled into himself a bit more.

Soundwave shrunk back down, his spark aching as he wondered if Orion was pulling away because of pain, or because of him.

Megatron looked sadly at the smaller mech, “Orion, how is your spark?”

“It aches,” Orion said gruffly before chuckling bitterly and lowering his helm to look at the sparkling once more. “It aches so terribly…”

The trio quieted once more, their optics all on the little frame between them.

“He led me, you know, after Unicron left my frame, and I… Well, he helped me find my way back.” Orion said quietly, a few drops of the coolant that fell from his optics splashing down upon the sparkling’s frame. “I didn’t even know it was him, until then end.”

Orion smiled then, his helm lifting as he looked between his two loves. “He’s ok.” He laughed, it was a broken, weak laugh but it held a depth of awe and relief that was tangible. “He is ok.” Orion repeated, shaking his helm.

“He is so b-brave, and kind, and he has s-so many looking af-after… af-ter him…” Orion’s voice filled with static as he sobbed and curled around the frame tighter. “Ooohhhh….” He moaned out, his frame rocking once more.

Megatron and Soundwave looked at one another, their optics burning as they watched Orion finally get to mourn the death of the sparkling he had finally remembered. They had felt this pain as well, yet they had eons to mourn the loss, to accept it in a way, Orion though…

“I f-forgot him. I FORGOT HIIIIM!” Orion bellowed out wretchedly, his frame shaking as he cried. “I forgot e-everything when I b-became a Prime… Everything, everything…”

Megatron’s servo went to his intake, his optics bleeding coolant freely as he stared at his love. He didn’t know what to say, he didn’t know what to do. How could you fix something like this? How could anyone have the right words for it all?

Soundwave keened quietly, haunted memories passing through his processor. **_Oh Orion… It isn’t your fault. None of this is…_**

Orion laughed bitterly, tears falling from his chin as he looked at his mates. “It feels so fresh… It feels so…” He shook his helm, his frame hitching as he fought to find the words. “I lost you both, I lost him, I lost myself… I.. I used to dream, about the three of us, in shadows. I longed for those dreams, I ached for them.”

Megatron nodded, but still remained silent.

“I loved you, I loved you and I didn’t know why! I couldn’t kill you, over, and over again, and I never knew WHY! Ohhhh…“ Orion gripped at his helm, “I would dream those w-wonderful dreams, and… We, we would fight, and always at that last second, I would find myself terrified. I was terrified to see you f-fall by my s-servos, but that… THAT WAS MY _MISSION_!” He looked at Megatron, his mismatched optics wide and filled with pain. “I loved you, I loved the monster that was destroying the world.”

Megatron’s shoulders fell, his optics falling dim, but still he stayed silent and forced himself to keep his optics on Orion’s.

“I fought with myself over, and over again. Every time I saw another destroyed city, or town, or… Or saw things like, like what you did to Jazz…” Orion whimpered, his servos trembling around the sparkling he held. “You… You destroyed _Cybertron_. You destroyed our h-home! I, I never knew why as Optimus, I just knew you h-hurt so _many_ , and I knew that was wrong, but Megatronus… I would have _never_ wanted you to do what you did.” The last part came out as a whisper from the small scarred mech.

Megatron sobbed then, shame, guilt, agony, disgust… All of the most wretched emotions twisted in his spark, but he merely nodded, and kept his optics on his love and forced himself to face the horrors he had wrought. He wanted to run, he wanted to hide and never see that look in Orion’s optics ever again, but he had to face this, he had to…

Orion’s servo went to his chest, the pain in his spark becoming almost unbearable for a moment. “You destroyed _everything_ , because of _us_. Because… because, of… of m-me.” He moaned, his frame bending once more as he fought the storm of chaos that ravaged his broken spark.

Megatron rubbed his faceplates as he cried, trying to clear his optics, but only managed to smear the coolant, and energon from his injured servo across his faceplates.

“O-Orion…” He started weakly, his worry for the smaller mech growing as he watched the little mech vent raggedly. “Orion, please… We may talk later, can we get you to Ratchet, love? Please?”

The smaller mech gasped, holding his chest a moment more as he forced himself to calm down. He hadn’t the time to feel all of this when he had awoken. He had had Unicron to worry for, a team to help, a world to save, a universe and now…

“Ohhhh… It all hurts s-so much. Sooo much… I forgot… I f-forgot. I woke there tonight, in that med bay, a-alone, my spark hollow and h-hurting, and there he was. I, I never… Never got to, to say fare-farewell… I just f-forgot… I had to go. I had to leave the ship.” He lifted his helm, looking at the two mechs before him. “I woke to so much loss in my sp-spark, our bond gone, and the fr-frame to the child I for-forgot, I l-lost… just there…” His faces plates scrunched as he began to cry harder, “Is, Gods... Is that how b-both of y-you felt? Is that… I’m so s-sorry… I didn’t kn-know…”

Soundwave couldn’t take it any longer and he moved forwards, his long arms wrapping around the small mech and holding him tight. “Orion, it wasn’t your fault. N-never…”

Orion lost himself in the larger mech’s arms, his frame shaking so terribly, and spark throbbing as he held tight to the arms that held him.

Soundwave rocked with the smaller mech, his helm resting atop Orion’s when he looked to his leader. “Megatron?” He asked, brokenly as the new Prime just stared at them both.

“I…” Megatron started, yet still he had no words. How many times while they were young had he disappointed himself in how he reacted, how he was always so angry, and how much that had cost them then. When he had hit Orion, when he had left him to deal with his nightmares when he thought Orion would abort the sparkling, when he left him with Soundwave, the fight when he returned, their fight in Iacon…

So many times he had hurt this mech as Orion, and then for eons more as Optimus and now, his love remembered it all, and for Megatron it was like reliving every failure he had ever committed.

It was hard to vent, it was hard to think, it was hard to feel, seeing all that he had done, and staring into those weeping mismatched optics…

Soundwave continued to hold the little mech, but as he watched a strange look fall over Megatron’s faceplates he grew more and more worried for the new Prime. “Megatron?” He asked with a little more force, his own spark beginning to hammer in his chest.

“I…” Megatron muttered, his frame shivering as he began to stand, his shadow blocking out the moonlight. “I don’t… I don’t know what…” He turned suddenly and began to walk away.

Soundwave vented hard, glaring at the retreating mech. **_Where is he going? What does he think he is…_**

“Don’t!” Orion’s voice called out, and Soundwave looked down to see the smaller mech looking towards Megatron’s frame.

Megatron froze, the haze of shock clearing slightly when he heard the desperation in the scarred mech’s voice, but he didn’t turn. He was terrified, disgusted, and felt so very broken…

“C-come back, I c-can’t… I can’t do this w-without… I _need_ LIGHT!” Orion begged, his voice filled with static. “I, I need the l-light n-now. H-how dare you, you r-run!”

Megatron blinked, his helm turning to look at those two; beautiful, devastated, lost, yet loving optics. “Orion…”

“I need… I n-need it. I have b-been strong for _everyone,_ I have g-gone on, through it all. P-please… let me be s-small. Let me…” Orion sobbed once more, his spark’s pain resonating through his chest, his arms, his legs, every part of him. “H-help… Help m-me…”

In four great strides Megatron was there, his large arms encircling both mechs and pulling them tight to his chest. “I am sorry, love. Forgive me, forgive me both of you. I should have seen you there Orion, I should have seen you as Optimus! I regret my actions, love. I regret it all! I regret so much… I hate what I became, and it wasn’t your fault, it was mine, mine Orion…”

He held his family close, his helm lowering into their circle as he wept. “I should have seen. Ratchet tried, he tried to tell me. I was just so lost. So lost, love. I never should have… Have done what I did. I am so sorry and have so much to pay for, love. I owe you both so much, and I am so sorry for what I turned into. Soundwave, I… I dragged you into my darkness, and you followed. I did that to you, and I am sorry. I can be better, I will be better.”

The three of them knelt there broken, beaten, old, and tired, and yet together. All of them together, all facing what they had become, what they had done, what they had gone through, for the first time in so very long.

Orion leaned into the arms that held him, his processor and spark such a world of chaos, whirling from memories in the early vorns with Ratchet, and Alpha Trion, to his adventures in Kaon, with Megatronus, and Soundwave, to the war where he was always so alone, and yet longing for a family that could never be promised in wartime, or to a Prime.

He sighed, allowing all of the horrors to ebb for a moment as he took solace in his trine. He mourned his sparkling, yet he also knew he was safe now. Did that take the pain of the loss away, no, no it still ached terribly, but it did help. He had never had a chance to mourn him before, everything being taken from him in one blinding moment and now, now that things had calmed for a moment, he could finally, _finally_ feel that loss. A loss he had felt for so long but never knew understood.

He groaned as his spark pulsed strongly once more, its agony ripping through him like fire, and the two mechs that held pulled back in fear, and worry.

“My… My loves, help me…” He moaned out his frame falling limp as his energy seemed to dissipate. He was so tired, so weak, and so tired of being lost.

Soundwave looked at Megatron, his optics blazing as he looked at his oldest friend. “Bond.” He said simply as he held Orion’s shivering frame.

Megatron swallowed nervously, feeling so young, so afraid in that moment, “I… Ahem, Orion, do you wish… Could I…” He faltered, terrified of what the smaller mech would respond to what he asked, terrified Orion would hate him now, loathe what he was, what he had become. Did he even think he deserved to bond to this glorious mech again.

He had taken it for granted the first time. He had been so young and foolish, and now he knew exactly what creating a bond would mean, the weight it would carry, but did he deserve it? Did he deserve Orion?

The new Prime vented, stilling his thundering spark as he knelt before his love, his servo going to Orion’s chin to lift the weak mech’s helm up to look at him. “Orion… Orion Pax, I love you. I have made many mistakes in my life, and for so very long my anger has guided my actions. I have paid for that foible over and over again, but not in the way that one would expect. I myself have suffered little, at least in comparison to those that, that I love.”

Orion raised his helm, his dim mismatched optics peering feebly at the white mech before him silently as he held to Soundwave, and their sparkling’s frame.

Megatron looked between both Orion’s and Soundwave’s optics as he knelt openly before them, “I have been the catalyst for so many things in both of your lives. I have allowed my anger, my rage to become a constant obstacle to the only path that I ever truly wanted. I hated being treated so poorly, I loathed being abused, and yet when, when I gained enough of a voice to be listened to. When I gained an army, followers, what did I become but more malicious, more _vindictive_ than the monsters that, that created me?”

Megatron smiled bitterly, “I never meant to hurt anyone well no innocents anyways, yet with every war innocents suffer for it, don’t they? I would excuse it back then, I would excuse the death of innocents, saying it was for the cause and yet with every innocent that I added to my list, that I learned about at least, it ripped me apart, it ripped Soundwave apart, and honestly, many of my soldiers.”

The white mech vented, his helm falling to the sparkling’s frame in his love’s arms. “I destroyed not just a planet, or Cybertronian’s lives, I tore it all to its core. Everything. Even, even the survivors. Now every surviving Cybertronian, every _one_ can say they know of Megatron of Kaon, as every one of them has suffered for my existence, even the Decepticons. I have proof of that on my very ship, and before Ratchet I saw it in Knockout.”

Orion and Soundwave watched as Megatron looked off at the ruined landscape, his golden optics dark with guilt, and shame. “My legacy is one of death, torture, genocide… From here on out, I shall always be known as the world’s destroyer, first and foremost. I started with such noble intentions, and I ended up becoming so much worse than anything that existed before me. I, I never really saw it all. Not on a wide scale, how could any mech really? Well, that was until tonight.”

He turned back to look at the two mechs before him, his optics burning. “Seeing you here, in this frame, finally remembering, finally seeing all of me… S-seeing wh-what I did, now I s-see through, through y-your optics Orion, and it is k-killing me. It h-hurts to face you, because, I see… I see _everything_ I did, and I have no idea how, how to l-live with my-myself because of it.”

Megatron gripped his helm, moving back from the others as he fought to vent, “I can’t do it. I am t-terrified of bonding with you again Orion because then, then you will not only see it all, but  _feel_ it all. You will experience it all from my perspective, and I have already h-hurt you s-soo mu… Ohhh…”

“Megatron…” Soundwave started, his spark heavy and aching as he saw his leader crumbling there. Was he wrong? No. No, the war was a nightmare, the regrets there too numerous, and painful to number, but they had made such progress and he was scared that his leader was becoming blind to that. Yet, he honestly didn’t know what to say.

There were no fancy words that could fix this wound, this guilt. No words, and in essence no forgiveness. It would be a wound that would never heal, even if they restored Cybertron. It would be written in their histories for ages to come, it would be seen within the optics of every returning citizen, in every building, in every burned landscape, and every dead frame they would have to clear out…

“Why did you accept the Matrix, Megatron?” Orion asked weakly, his mismatched optics looking towards the larger mech sadly.

“Wh-what?” Megatron asked, that soft fragile voice pulling him from his nightmares.

“Why did you accept it? Why did you become a Prime?” The smaller mech asked again, coughing a bit after.

Megatron looked down at him, his clouded optics falling to the ground as he thought of that day. “I, I did it for our teams fighting above us, I did it because we were there so close to the end, and it needed to be done.”

Orion smiled knowingly, “Is that all, because it needed to be done?”

The former warlord looked at him, his optical ridges drawn low as he considered what had gone through his processor when he had made that fateful decision, “No, not only because of that. I, I did it for _all_ of us, I suppose. I did it so the universe would not have to suffer the fate of being under Unicron’s rule, under his darkness. I did it because, I myself have a vast understanding of what life can be without a guiding light, and if I _didn’t_ take it you would have died. The universe cannot, and should not have to suffer the loss of your light. Even if some do not know it is you that has consistently fought to give them that light, that freedom.”

Megatron snorted, shaking his helm as he did so, “I suppose in a way I did it for the children that made you smile, the ones that you love. Or, or for Ratchet who has always been there to, haha, tell me what an aft I am. I did it for all of our teammates as well, to preserve what little happiness they all may be able to find after such a long time being at war, my war… But mostly, I did it for you, well, more _because_ of you. Because of what you are, what you have always been, Orion, the light this universe needs. Orion, I… I did it, because what I have done to so many was selfish and evil. My family was taken from me, but how many families have I destroyed in turn? As much as I never wanted to be a Prime, as much as I want to live simply, I owe it to far too many, especially to you, to hide when, when I can help, when I can save. You showed me that, Orion. You have always shown me that, and it is about time I started paying attention. So, I took the burden of Primacy.”

Orion smiled at him, it was small, it was weak, but it was true, “Show me Megatron. Show me what happened to you. Bond with me, and let’s finally see who we are now, who we have become after so long, and so many sorrows.”

Megatron vented out, worry filling his spark once more, “Orion… I, I am uncertain…”

The little mech handed the sparkling’s frame to Soundwave, kissing the darker mech’s wet faceplates before forcing himself to his pedes. He wobbled slightly, Megatron immediately rushing forwards to steady him, and the two old, worn lovers peered deeply into each other’s optics.

“Megatron, I love you, but I need to know. I need to know what happened, through your optics, please.” Orion asked softly, his own weak spark hammering in his chassis. He was frightened about seeing what the larger mech had gone through, relive the terrors he wrought, and feel what Megatron felt through it all, but he had to. They had to. For not only did he feel it important for him to see Megatron’s side, he wanted his love to understand his as well. They could speak about what they experienced for vorns, but to feel it, in mind and spark…

“Orion… I, I am terrified.” Megatron whispered out. “I am terrified by not only what you may feel, or see, but what if I must become Nox again, and our bond breaks? How many times must we go through…”

“As many as it may take, my love.” Orion said quietly, coughing slightly as he did so.

Numbly Megatron nodded as he slowly helped Orion lay down, the moonlight shimmering over them as the two weary leaders lie together in the grass.

“Orion… I love you, and I am so, so very sorry…” Megatron strangled out, his good servo going to his chest plates and opening them.

Orion vented painfully, his trembling servos rising to his own and opening them. “As am I love. You will see that, you will see everything.”

Megatron nodded, his wild, terrified optics blazing down at his mate as he lowered his chest to the other mech’s. “For-forgive m-me…”

As their energies came together, fire shot through both mechs, and the world fell away. Now they would see, truly see the war in all of its wretched glory, through the other’s optics and feel what the other felt.

Soundwave vented as he watched the lovers turned nemeses sparks collided, and he smiled sadly. Whatever journey they would take within one another’s spark would be a long, and pain filled experience. He just hoped his loves were strong enough to face what they had each become in the end, and come out of this stronger for it.

He stood, and walked a ways from his loves giving them their privacy, before finding a stump and sitting upon it wearily. The dark mech looked down at the little frame he held, wiping Orion’s tears from its faceplates as he remembered what he had heard from their sparkling as he had laid there in the med bay. The little one had told him to wake, and that everyone missed his smile, but then he had heard that wonderful little voice grow soft and whisper just so he could hear.

_“It is ok now, Sire. You get a second chance now. A chance to do what you really wished for, so don’t waste it, ok? Don’t be afraid, and share your spark. This is your family too.”_

Soundwave sighed, pulling into himself his spark aching as looked to the stars. **_Would it even be possible? Would it be possible to have a bond between us all? Could I… Could I actually… NO, I don’t need to bond. I am happy just to get to be a part of their family. I am. Megatron is for Orion, and Orion is for Megatron… I am just, I get to… I am lucky to…_**

He smiled a small smile, his optics dimming as he rubbed his chest plates unconsciously. **_I do not need more than that, just to be loved by them, that is enough. I do not even know what a bond would, would feel like. To be connected to someone, not just physically, but inside…  To, to never be alone, to feel your mate’s thoughts, feelings, love… No, I don’t need that… I am happy with just, just…_**

“I don’t need anything more.” He whispered to the little frame he held, holding it close as he listened to the sounds of night that bustled around him. “I am grateful for what I have.” He said quietly, and he was truly, but he couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to, to not be so alone in spark. To share his spark with another, and know them on a level so deep that it led to death, or madness for some.

 ** _Must be something truly magnificent to be so terribly destructive once lost. I wonder what it…_** He sighed once more, moving down the ground and leaning against the stump as he awaited the outcome of his lover’s bond. He was ok with this, the way it had always been, the way it was meant to be.

The silent mech vented as he curled further into himself, cradling the little frame as he shivered in the cold. **_I have all I need…This is where I belong, and that is alright. Everything is alright…_**

As the moon began to fall behind the horizon, and the sky awaken, the lonely mech couldn’t help but rub his chest once more. He found himself wondering if he truly believed what he was saying, or if he was just too afraid to admit how desperately he wished to experience that kind of connection for himself…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... The ending of this. I wrote it after initially planning on finishing as their sparks came together, but I had a thought.... I saw Soundwave there, as always stepping back for them and... felt myself torn. So I am wondering what YOU guys think. Should a triple bond be possible? Let me know in the comments.


	41. Shadows Lifting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG, ok... It has been far, faaaar too long since my last update and that is because of a myriad of reasons, from writer's block on how to deal with things, to writing WAY too many other stories at once, to writing and then scrapping thousands of words... I swear I have written at least 30,000 word in trying to get this chapter right... *.* As it is only 11,000 made the cut. So, here we have it after so very, very long... Enjoy. I hope haha.

Light, pain, fire, ice, chaos, peace, life, destruction, hate, love, it was a collide of two mechs that had been through so much, once together, once fighting on the same side, and then against one another for eons and their bonding mirrored the chaos of their lives.

Both mechs were venting raggedly as their sparks entwined, both trying to submit as well as dominate as was their natures. Once young and filled with dreams, now they were older, wiser, and far more aware of the pain, and beauty life could hold. Life and love.

Their frames moved together, servos grasping, legs tensing, and optics shuttered as they gave themselves to one another. It was pure response as they struggled with the chaos, the war that had defined them for so long.

Orion/ Optimus cried out as his lover’s fury burned through his spark. His vents caught in his chassis and optics bled tears under the magnitude of pain, sorrow, anger, hate, and love he felt storming within the mech he clung to.

He sobbed, his spark becoming overwhelmed by the other mech’s power, but only for a moment until his own energy crackled and sparked to life, almost as if to protect him from falling completely away, and it tore through Megatron just as fiercely.

The new Prime’s helm flew back, his intake open yet the scream that burned in his vocalizer never left as his spark was consumed by his love. He felt Orion’s confusion when he awoke without memories, his fear of him, and his loneliness in the eons that followed.

 He lamented with Optimus, as the mech had felt enslaved by a destiny he had woken to and never wanted. He gasped as images, feelings of the war tore through his processor, his own ripping through Orion as well.

There were flames, death, energon, heat, smoke; a choking force crushing them both from the inside out as they went through each battle, each choice, and all of the failures or victories those choices imprinted on their sparks.

“Me-Megatroooon…” Orion begged raggedly, fear slithering through him. Their bond, it held so much information, so many feelings and he had only just rediscovered himself! He wasn’t certain he had the strength, or the courage to continue, and that thought terrified him. **_Can I make it through this!? It hurts… It hurts so much! Megatron, I… I am AFRAID!_**

Megatron felt his mate’s fear, even through the mayhem that coursed between them. **_I can pull back! Don’t be afraid! Just let me… Wait, Orion!? ORION!?_**

He forced his aching helm downwards, his yellow optics bright but flickering as he beheld his love beneath him. White light filled Orion’s wide, pain filled optics as the smaller mech screamed.

 ** _IT’S TOO MUCH! TOO MUCH FIRE! TOO MUCH PAIN!_** Orion’s thoughts echoed in his now agony ridden spark, and Megatron felt panic fill him.

 ** _I will stop it! I will!_** The silver mech thought desperately as he tried to lift his frame away. He grunted, his arms shaking terribly as he pushed away from the smaller mech only to feel their coiling energies tighten and pull him back down. It was as if something was forcing them to continue, something neither he nor Orion had any control over.   ** _NO! NOOO! He can’t handle it! I need to stop this, I need to get AWAY!_**

A scream finally ripped from his intake, a desperate, mournful cry that boomed through the glade like thunder yet still he could not pull away. **_NOOOOOO! PLEASE! Let me release him! I never wanted to hurt him Primus! I never did! I NEVER WANTED TO HURT ANYOOONNNNE!_**

He could feel his love’s spark weaken further, its tendrils of energy still wrapped tightly around his own, but he could feel the pull began to ebb, to disappear and he realized he was feeling Orion disappear. Where he wasn’t certain, but he feared it was to the All Spark.

“NOOOOO! ORION!” Megatron bellowed, his vision blurry as coolant fell from them. He roared as he dug his claws into the soft earth beneath the other mech, pushing away from him as hard as he could, desperate to stop the transfer of energy when suddenly he felt something cool fall to his heated shoulder and a voice call to them both.

“It was not only pain. Remember that and calm your sparks. Remember what we have gone through recently, remember what we have fought through to find ourselves here. Do not just focus on the darkness, but reach for the light you have been longing for.”

Megatron turned his heavy helm, desperate to see who was calling to him and was surprised and relieved to find Soundwave kneeling next to him. “S-Soundwave…” He grunted out painfully, his wide optics holding fear in them as they turned back down to Orion. “He, he is too weak…”

Soundwave tilted his helm as he brought his other servo up to Orion’s helm. “Easy, dear one. Our past is heavy and its shadows are plenty but that is only because every time we were basked in light it was brilliant, and blinding.”

Orion turned his helm, his white optics straining to see the mech through the turmoil that was tearing through his processor and spark. “S-Sound… Arrrrgh…” Orion’s faceplates scrunched up as another wave of memories came from Megatron, this time they held the darkness and the sorrow that the mech felt as he watched the first few ships leave Cybertron during the exodus.

His helm titled back as he was lost to the images once again, his servos gripping at Megatron’s shoulders as he searched desperately for something to ground him, for something to help control the flow of emotions and energy. “Arrrrgh! Megatroooon! I, I don’t know if I can… Arrrrgh, it hurts!”

“ARRRRRGH ,DAMNIT! I, I can’t PULL AWAY!” Megatron cried out as he tried to break their bond once more, his arms shaking as he roared but still he could not untangled their energies and suddenly he realized what they needed, what they had always needed when things grew too chaotic between them.

They needed their final piece, the rope that held them together through so much through the vorns, the foundation that always caught them when everything was falling apart, who never faltered in his support for those he loved, who had been with Megatron through all the years of war, who had saved him from the Senate building, who had waited for him to awaken all the while being alone yet carrying out his work…

They needed the one who had taken care of Orion when he could not, who had protected him while Megatron inspired an army, who loved him and their sparkling enough to go so far as to threaten Megatron were he the cause of pain for Orion.  The one who had always been there, ever in the background when he deserved, even more than Megatron at times the silver mech felt, to be at the forefront of this relationship … Soundwave.

“S-soundwave, open… Open your chest plates. I can’t… I need your help.” Megatron grated out, his golden optics looking at his oldest friend desperately.

Soundwave leaned away, his servos falling to his sides as he shook his helm. He had only come up because of the screams, he hadn’t meant to intrude. “Megatron, no… I, I was only… I only wanted to get you both on the right path.”

“Please… Please my friend. I, I can’t do this without you.” Megatron said his voice laced with pain and worry.

Soundwave felt his spark vibrate under his chest plates, he was terrified, uncertain… He felt he didn’t deserve to be a part of this intimate moment. He was fine observing it from afar, as he always had. Mechs like him didn’t get this, and he was happy with his place, he was…

Orion gasped, his optics dimming as he moaned in despair and fear and Soundwave felt panic fill him. **_He has been through so much recently and now to see all of Megatron’s memories after just recovering his own. After just realizing the sparkling he had lost, after almost losing himself, after almost dying because of Unicron… Oh Primus, what do I do!? Could I even help? Can I, can I do this?_**

“SOUNDWAVE!” Megatron’s harsh voice pulled the darker mech from his racing thoughts and he looked back to the white mech, his optics wide with apprehension.

“You belong Soundwave.” Megatron stated sternly, his frame jerking as more of Orion’s pain filtered through his spark. “You, you belong with us. Please, I can’t do this alone, I need your strength, your calm, as I… As I _always_ have… Arrrgh…” Megatron vented out, his arms growing weaker by the klik. “We need you Soundwave. Both of us, we always have, and always will.” He finished wearily, his optics dimming as he looked to his friend. “Please…”

Soundwave swallowed painfully, his servos shaking as he lifted them to his chest plates and slowly opened them. **_Oh please, please don’t let them regret this… I, I love them both so much, I would never want to hurt… Ohhhhh…_**

Bright blue light cascaded upon the two star-crossed lovers, Megatron gasping as he peered at his oldest friend’s spark. He had seen it before, through a variety of reasons but never before had it looked as magnificent, and as wondrous as it did now. **_Help, help is coming Orion… Don’t give in! Soundwave will help us find our way…_**

Soundwave’s back arched as his energy quickly flowed out of him, entwining with the two before him as if it had always belonged there, and perhaps, it had always been there after all? He had merged with Orion numerous times when they were younger, his energy helping to keep their sparkling strong, so perhaps that is why now, it felt so natural, like… Like coming home.

Megatron groaned as the cool calm flow of Soundwave’s energy wash over the fire and fear in his spark and frame, instantly giving him a sense of peace as it worked its way through both him and Orion. He laughed brokenly as he felt Orion’s relief as well, the smaller mech’s screaming stopping as he vented for air, and slowly relaxed his frame.

Suddenly there was no war being passed between them, no images of death, but small waves of joy and a vast feeling of awe and gratitude. There was an uncertainty within the energy as well and some fear but mostly _life_ …

Gently Soundwave worked through his loves’ frenzied signals, reminding them just why they loved one another so much, calmed them enough so they could see it all clearly, and helped lead them through the surges of emotion that each memory invoked, as he always did.

Once the two were calmer and their energies flowing more regularly Soundwave’s own experiences began filtering through the bond. Slowly images of Kaon fleeted through their helms and memories neither Orion nor Megatron had never seen weaving through their processors.

They saw a young Soundwave sitting upon a dusty floor as a femme, presumably his Carrier, pulled a mech down a long hall, and they felt their spark ache with Soundwave’s as he wished he could free his Momma from her Master.

They watched as Soundwave ran from his Carrier’s Master after she died from EnSic. Running off to the streets of Kaon when he was just a little sparkling.

Their tanks ached with his hunger and sparks burned with his fear as he fought to survive. They felt when he was hit, or beaten if he was caught stealing fuel. They laid with him as the acid rains burned his ill–fitting plating, and cried with him as he let himself crumble only once under it all.

Finally it came to when Soundwave first met Megatron, or Megatronus at the time and the former warlord smiled at the memory. It wasn’t a peaceful memory, like many in poor Soundwave’s life, but it did lead them to find one another.

Megatronus took Soundwave under his wing almost immediately once they met, and Orion could feel Megatron’s guilt when it came to Soundwave being enslaved because of how they met and how it ended with Soundwave becoming a slave, but felt no such blame from the other mech, just gratitude, always gratitude.

 The two stayed together as much as they could through their wretched vorns of slavery, and for both that journey was a long and seemingly endless one, but they worked to protect each other through it all. Megatron even claiming Soundwave was his after each match so that others couldn’t touch the pretty mech. He and Soundwave became inseparable, and with having Megatronus at his side so often, Soundwave’s constant abuse ebbed.

For his part Soundwave used his skills to help Megatronus with the beginning of his revolution. He was eager to help the mech find ways to communicate to the people of Cybertron; he taught Megatronus to read, to write, how to express his views with words and not just his fists.

He spent many nights with the Megatronus, sometimes interfacing when either of them longed for physical touch, or comfort, but most of the time it was merely two friends enjoying the peace of each other’s company and it was a moment outside of the abysmal circumstances they found themselves trapped within each and every solar-cycle.

Then, one unassuming day, a plucky little Archivist came to them and everything changed.

The trio felt each of the other’s experiences when they first all met. After Orion’s initial contact with Megatronus in the tavern where the young gladiator saved him from the furious mech Orion had punched, he had taken him to their base to meet Rev, Tor, Grindor, and Soundwave.

Orion gasped as he felt Soundwave’s first impression regarding him, surprised the mech had felt so much, and yet hid it so well. In those early days it had never seemed like Soundwave ever showed emotion, but apparently when the mech had first met Orion, he had felt like his spark had stopped and the world seemed to slow.

Soundwave was never jealous of Megatronus equal interest in the little mech, and was more than supportive of it all, hiding his own feelings away as he reveled in his friend’s happiness. It wasn’t until Megatronus asked him to merge with Orion to help with the sparkling that Soundwave ever really looked at his feelings for the smaller mech, and that Megatronus had always somehow known was even more of a surprise.

That first merge between himself and Orion, after spending a month away from Megatronus, was a moment Soundwave would never forget. He had never merged with another, never had anyone touch his spark like that, and the result was as confusing as it was incredible and when they had kissed…

Soundwave moaned as he reveled in the warmth of the memory, and Megatron smiled as he felt his friend’s joy and love for the smaller mech. It had been a time of chaos, of uncertainty but in the end it all worked out, and soon after they became a trine.

More memories came from the dark mech, laughter, joy, light, and even darkness, yet he kept all of them above the waves, as always. With each hard memory, there was one of joy, with the sad, one of hope and so on…

As they walked the past together, Soundwave reminded them of the present and soon enough, the histories of all of them were coiled together, knit in the fabric that was the love they all shared and they lay beneath its warmth as they worked through their storms. Here was their story, everything that had brought them here to this stunning moment.

There they were, in all of their jumbled, imperfect, dark, beautiful, calm, and simple glory…

Finally they were one.

……………………………

Soundwave vented out as their energies finally separated, his spark thundering in his chassis as it spun with the two new energies that were now attached to it. **/That, that was incredible!/**

A chuckle came from Megatron as he looked up at the darker mech. **/Yes, it was… Thank you Soundwave. Thank you for guiding us through the storm once again, my friend./**

Soundwave blinked at the white mech, his servo going to his helm as he marveled at hearing Megatron’s voice there yet it wasn’t through radio contact, but through their bond. **/I suppose I will have to be careful with what I send through now./** He thought and Megatron laughed again.

“You are still sending your thoughts, Soundwave.” Megatron said with a smile as he finally lifted himself from Orion’s frame.

“Oh… I am sorry. It is all so new.” Soundwave said aloud hoping he wasn’t transmitting any random thoughts unwittingly.

“Do not fear, it took some time for me to adjust as well.” The new Prime said quietly as he peered down at Orion.

Soundwave frowned as he scanned over Orion, his spark clenching with worry as the smaller mech lay limply under Megatron. **/Why hasn’t he awoken!? Is something wrong? Did I do something? Perhaps I should not have bonded with them, did I hurt…/**

“Peace, Soundwave.” Megatron said gently, closing his chestplates before reaching down and doing the same for Orion. “I think he is just exhausted after everything. That… That was far more intense than I remember our first bonding to be… Far more haunted.”

Soundwave looked at his friend, his faceplates falling at the dark look on Megatron’s face. “Well, we are not so innocent anymore.” He said thoughtfully as he too closed his chestplates, his spark feeling fuller than it ever had before and he was surprised he could even close the chamber.

Megatron grunted. “Mmmm… Was I ever innocent?”

Soundwave scowled up at the larger mech. “Megatron, why are you going down that path? Can you not allow yourself to enjoy this moment?”

Megatron scoffed, moving his frame so he could sit next to Orion’s frame, his optics running along each scarred plate, “He was terrified, Soundwave… Screaming from what he saw inside of me. What if… What if he regrets the bond and is now stuck with it?”

The lithe mech fell silent, Megatron’s fears mirroring his own but about _his_ involvement in their bond. He truly hadn’t meant to become involved but with the screams like Megatron mentioned he hadn’t been able to stay away.

“He won’t regret bonding with you Soundwave. You are foolish to think he would.” Megatron muttered and Soundwave feared he had been transferring his thoughts again.

“Megatron, he loves you, he _wanted_ to see it all.” Soundwave insisted yet the white mech merely snarled at his words.

Megatron’s optics flashed as he turned his helm away. “Yes, obviously never realizing just what kind of a monster I truly…”

“YOU ARE NOT A MONSTER!” Soundwave shouted, surprising even himself with the volume of his voice.

Megatron lifted his helm, his yellow optics dim with pain and regret as he shook his helm. “I am… I am capable of terrible things Soundwave, you have seen it so do not lie to me for my benefit. I expect more from you than that.” He said gruffly, his arms wrapping around his chest as he huffed in irritation.

Soundwave sighed, his field pulling tight as he tried to think of the right words to say to his oldest friend. “Megatron we… We made many, many mistakes, both of us, but that does not mean we are monsters. Nothing is as clear and decisive as that, especially not a mech’s moral compass.”

“Orion’s is. It has been since the mech was created for frag sake.” Megatron retorted. “I know, I have gone through two bonds with him and you know what I haven’t found, _darkness_.”

Soundwave frowned. “That is because you were not looking at it with _his_ optics, Megatron, but Orion has darkness in him just as we do, it is just _different_.”

The former warlord laughed sarcastically. “Oh yes, much like the, ‘I stepped on a flower and now my spark is torn apart kind.’ Wicked mech….”

Soundwave’s optics dimmed before he looked away. “That is not what I meant Megatron, and you know it.”

For a moment both of them fell silent, the night’s melody playing out around them in a series of chips and squeaks until Megatron sighed heavily.

“I… I know, Soundwave. Forgive me. I just… His fear when we started, his anger, shock… To have felt it, to have felt _that_ as he looked at what I did in the name of HIM!” The new Prime shuddered, his long arms wrapping tighter around his chassis as he tried to block out the screams that still rang in his audials. “It was the worst thing I have ever felt, Soundwave… I, I was losing him, he was falling because I could not hold him up. I, I used to be able to…”

Soundwave turned back to his oldest friend, his optics softening as he smiled encouragingly up at him. “You have held him up for a very, very long time Megatron, but again this tale is not so simple. You are not so simple and neither is Orion. Your journey has been one that has echoed across the universe and… And to hold yourself in the same regard as normal mates is foolish, perhaps dangerous even.”

Megatron frowned as he glanced over at the darker mech. “What do you mean?”

Soundwave rubbed at the back of his helm as he considered how to explain. “You and Orion… You aren’t like other mechs Megatron and your bond, I imagine, reflects that… Especially now.”

“Soundwave, your part in this bond is just as important…” Megatron started and Soundwave put his servos up to stop him.

“That is not a fear of mine, I know how much I mean to the two of you, I do… I mean, hmmm… How to explain?” Soundwave peered from Orion to Megatron. “Megatron, if ever a pair was more destined than you two I do not know. Perhaps Megatronus and Solus do come close though.” He said with a sad smile before continuing. “But they did not start off as normal bots. They did not grow up on Cybertron, nor had the type of life you and Orion did, joys and struggles combined.”

Megatron snorted. “Struggles… That is putting it kindly.” He said darkly as he looked at Orion’s scarred faceplates.

“Exactly! So not only have you gone through all of that but on top of it all has been your destinies. I mean, look at you, you are a Prime, Optimus was… I… How many bots can even claim that? So, so to struggle through a very dark youth, then lead two separate armies, and then deal with all that comes from being a Prime… You have had fate against you both all along the way and yet… Here you are. Here he is, and I truly believe he will try everything in his power to stay by your side.”

“Why?” Megatron asked quietly, his servo reaching out to rub Orion’s helm gently, his digits sliding over the scarred plating softly as he frowned. “Why does he love me, Soundwave? I have hurt him so badly, more than, than so many others so why… Why does he stay with me?”

“You are his mate, his true love. Simple as that.” Soundwave said gently and Megatron chuckled before peering at him quizzically.

“I thought you said nothing was that clear or decisive.” Megatron chided, but his smirk fell as Soundwave looked at him sternly.

“This is.” The darker mech stated with conviction. “This is and if you need proof of that then you have apparently gone blind, or are not allowing yourself to see what is before you.”

Megatron sighed heavily, his servo gently tracing along the rim of Orion’s helm. “I see… I just, sometimes I just have a hard time believing it, I guess.”

Soundwave tilted his helm in surprise. “Even now? Even after everything?”

“Always, Soundwave.” Megatron whispered, mostly to himself as he smiled down at his love. “I will always be awed that a mech like Orion, Optimus loved me.”

“Then do not waste a second of it Megatron.” Soundwave suggested lightly. “Do not waste the gift of light he brings by allowing yourself to be consumed by shadows of the past.”

The former warlord shook his helm, a soft chuckle escaping him as he looked over at his oldest friend. “Soundwave, how do you do that? How do you take the chaos that is Orion and I and somehow mech it seem trivial?”

Soundwave shrugged. “Because besides you loving one another everything else is trivial, Megatron. Gods, Primes, bots, and worlds quake in the face of your connection with Orion, your love, and it is so powerful it can both destroy worlds as well as remake them.” He smirked as he looked over at Megatron. “So, instead of drowning in your mistakes, _our_ mistakes let us learn from them because that kind of power is something that must never be taken lightly.”

Megatron nodded. “Indeed… Come my friend, let us head back to the ship for now. It is getting cold and Orion is still healing, plus, I have something I would like to do before we leave Earth and I could use my mate’s help with it.”

Soundwave frowned in confusion. “Do you want to wake Orion?”

Megatron laughed as he stood, leaning down to gently pick up Orion before beginning the hike back down the hillside. “No, I meant you.”

Soundwave blinked at the mech uncertain what he meant until he felt a playful tug at his spark and he gasped in surprise. “Me? Oh… Yes, me!” He exclaimed as he jumped to his pedes happily and ran to catch up with the larger mech.

Megatron laughed harder at the absolute bliss he found on the smaller mech’s faceplates. “Thank you Soundwave, thank you for loving us and for joining us on our ill-fated journey of life.”

Soundwave smiled as he shook his helm. “I should be thanking you, Megatron. Ever since I met you, you have looked out for me, protected me, and carried me through my own storms and now… Now you have given me back my family.” He looked over at his friend his spark pulsing with wonder and love as he did so. “I owe you everything, Megatronus.”

Megatron stopped walking, his helm turning and optics looking intently at Soundwave. “Soundwave…” He whispered, his spark pulsing with admiration, appreciation, and love the other mech held for him.

“I speak the truth Megatronus, without you I probably would have died on the streets. Just another youngling lost to the world. I, I was lost, I was alone and you, you saved me. You are my friend, my leader, my Prime and a part of my family.” Soundwave smiled, his optics bright as he laid his servo on his friend’s arm. “Thank you, thank you for everything. I would have been lost without you and you know what, I think Orion would have been too.”

Megatron could hardly vent. “Soundwave I… I did nothing, not truly, just what I felt was right.” He chuckled as he rolled his optics. “This time it just seemed to work out. Not always that lucky.”

Soundwave laughed as well and they began walking once more. “Yes, not everything works out like we want it to but…” He peered over at his trine mates and sighed. “But I believe I shall take this result regardless.”

Megatron looked down at Orion, delighting as the small mech curled against him as the wind blew. “Yes, I shall take it as well.”

………………………….

Ratchet groaned as he turned in the medical berth, his scowl falling away as he found Knockout lying comfortably next to him and he placed his servo over the younger mech’s spark chamber. **_Thank Primus the procedure worked…_**

After Soundwave had messaged the base that they had found Orion, Ratchet had finally been able to relax, and it was then Arcee mentioned taking on the task of transferring the spark from his frame to Knockout’s.

They had talked over the procedure a few times, and he downloaded all the information he had on such a surgery to a data stick so the femme could look over the material closer. Since they were leaving in just a few days they figured now was as good a time as any to perform the procedure, and luckily, it went splendidly.

The older medic held tight to Knockout, his spark pulsing with the younger mech’s energy and he was amazed at how much he had missed having another spark’s energy with his. For so long he had felt like he was missing half of himself and now with his new bond with Knockout, and the sparkling’s residual energy, he felt whole.

It hadn’t been imperative that they bond for the spark transfer to work, they could have only merged sparks, and he told Knockout that, but the red mech had merely glared at him, and told him he was stuck with him.

Ratchet had at first been terrified of the thought of bonding with Knockout, not that he didn’t want to, but to bond again, after so long of being alone…  Well, he wasn’t nearly as brave in matters of the spark as he pretended to be.

Sure, he would spout out advice to all that asked but when it came to him, he was lost as they come. What would Knockout think of him once he got a look inside? Would he be appalled at how many lives he hadn’t been able to save, would he be disgusted with his weakness? Would he understand his fears, or feel insulted by them?

It seemed in the end his fears were for naught for the moment his spark came in contact with Knockout’s after their sparkling was placed safely in Knockout’s spark chamber he felt a joy he had only dreamt of flow through him, and suddenly the world made sense once more.

He still held a special place for Silverray, his first mate, and would always keep a part of his spark for the sparkling he lost, the family he lost, but this… Being with Knockout and their unexpected sparkling, it was like a chance to being once more and the irony of both him and Orion’s trine getting that same gift was not lost on him. **_Let’s just make sure we do it the right way this time…_**

He snuggled closer to his mate, feeling the sparkling’s energy pulse under the red mech’s chest plates as he held tight, and he couldn’t help the wide smile that came over his faceplates then. After so much chaos, so much pain, wars, fires, the loss of friends, loved ones, their planet… They had been sent to the outskirts of the universe, struggled for survival there, defeated a God twice, worked with some of the oldest Primes, lost them all, almost lost Optimus/ Orion numerous times, and at the end of it all they truly had was  themselves, their new found peace, and hope.

There was the sound of pede steps coming closer to the med bay and Ratchet lifted his helm to watch as Megaton walked in carrying a sleeping Orion.

The white mech nodded to Ratchet, as if to tell him everything was alright before lying Orion down on one of the berths.  Orion groaned at the loss of warmth, his optics cracking open as he peered up at Megatron. “Is something wrong?” He asked wearily rubbing his optics as he looked around himself, surprised to find them in the Nemesis’s med bay.

“Everything is fine, Orion. Why don’t you rest here a bit, Soundwave and I need to look into something. I will be back soon, my love.” Megatron said gently, kissing the smaller mech on the helm before moving back to the doorway and out into the halls.

Ratchet looked over at Orion, pleased to see that his leg looked far better than it had the night before, as did the mech’s coloring. “You bonded?” He asked softly as he untangled himself from Knockout’s frame and walked over to Orion’s berth.

“Yes.” Orion answered, his processor still working through the haze of recharge before he frowned. “It almost failed…” He admitted quietly, his optics dimming for a moment until he smiled. “But Soundwave helped us work through it.”

Ratchet tilted his helm. “Ahh, it is no surprise there really. Though a trine bond is rare it is possible under the right circumstances.” He said as he began a small check-up on the mech. “How are you feeling now, kid?”

Orion laughed at Ratchet’s nickname for him. “Not so much of a kid anymore, old friend.”

Ratchet scoffed as he placed a few sensors over the mech’s chassis. “You will always be my kid, Orion. One I am damn proud of, by the way. Not about to let that go.” He sighed as he looked over at Knockout. “I just I hope I do as well with this one. Given his origins… Well, guess if I can handle a sparkling made from Primus, one from Unicron can’t be that hard, haha.” He said worriedly but paused as Orion’s servo fell over his.

“Ratchet, you will be and always have been a wonderful Sire. You won’t be alone in this endeavor either. We will all be there to steer your young one down the right paths.” Orion promised as he smiled at the older mech.

“You know, it is weird to hear you speak like Optimus when you look like…” Ratchet started but merely shook his helm and laughed. “Well, I guess you always have been one in the same anyways.”

Orion nodded, his optics going to the ceiling as he considered the other mech’s words. “Yes, I suppose so.” He agreed, a sigh escaping him as he stared at the metal above him.

Ratchet frowned at the weight he heard in Orion’s voice. “You alright kid? You, you said the bond almost failed?”

The larger mech looked over at him and nodded once more. “Yes… To, to face why Megatron did what he did, to feel his conviction in the beginning, it was suffocating.” He said softly, his optics lifting to the ceiling again as he shivered. “I never really understood the depth of anger Megatronus had within him. I had always been on the outskirts of it, there just to ease it back, but I never truly felt its strength, not even during our first bond.”

“Well, Megatron went through a whole lot more since then, Orion. Had plenty to fuel his fury. Plus, war… War does stuff to a spark and processor, awful stuff. I have a feeling that once we get Cybertron up and running we will really see the extent of damage the war did to us all then. For now we still have distractions but once there is peace, and a moment to think about everything…”

Orion nodded grimly, his dermas in a thin straight line as he did so. “Yes, there is still much healing to be had.” Sighing once more he shook his weary helm and smiled over at the older mech. “We shall have time to worry about that later though, you look rather pleased Ratchet. I thought I heard Arcee tell Megatron that congratulations are in order.”

The medic snorted, “Yeah, yeah…” He said dismissively, but his smile was wide and brilliant. “I had forgotten just what being bonded brought to a bot’s life. Always having someone there with you, never having to feel alone… It is a gift.”

Orion smiled a bit, his exhaustion catching up with him again and he shuttered his optics before lying back. “Yes… Yes it is.”

Ratchet smiled when he looked up to find Orion falling to recharge almost instantly, the medic shaking his helm as he looked from Orion, to Knockout and back again. **_My family is growing…_**

A bang was heard outside of the clinic followed by laughter and his smile grew as he heard Bumblebee, Bulkhead, Lugnut, and Strika working their way down to the training room for another game of Lob ball. So much had changed and was still changing. Soon they would be off planet, flying off with the slim hope of being able to restore Cybertron and he sighed at that thought.

How would it happen? Would it cost them Orion? Was he even able to restore Cybertron any longer given the amount of power he had given up to fight Unicron?

He frowned, his servo brushing Orion’s helm lightly as he peered down at his kid. “Please, please don’t take him from us. We have fought so hard to keep him and Primus, he truly is the best of us…”

…………………………

Megatron and Soundwave returned from their venture later that day, the sun high in the afternoon sky as they wearily made their way through the Nemesis.

The new Prime had needed to meet up with Agent Fowler, give him the green light on their departure and an update on everything that was happening thus far. He had been happy for Soundwave’s presence as he still struggled with dealing with the humans and Arcee had been too busy with preparations here to come with him. It had been a remarkably easy meeting, if not a somber one and even Megatron found himself surprised at Fowler’s sadness at the fact that they were leaving soon.

Megatron had begrudgingly agreed to take Orion to him before they left so that they could say goodbye, yet it seemed it would work out in his favor and the surprise he was planning for his mate, but first came sleep.

“How many more days do we have here, Soundwave?” Megatron asked again as he stifled another yawn and the unmasked mech smiled up at him contemplatively.

“Now that it is midday, that gives us two and a half solar-cycles until takeoff, Megatron.” The lithe mech answered.

Megatron groaned, his apprehension about leaving nagging at his spark. No, he wasn’t terrified of traversing the universe but he was worried about how they would actually restore Cybertron, as everyone was. “How do you think we shall do it? How we will save Cybertron?” He asked gruffly, his optics pointed at the floor as they dimmed with fear.

Soundwave sighed and shook his helm. “All we know is that Orion was to restore it, but how has never been clarified…”

The former warlord nodded grimly. “Yes… Yes I know.” He mumbled, shaking his fears away as they rounded the corner to the med bay, he didn’t want Orion to see him so upset.

They made their way in, hoping to be able to grab Orion and bring him to Megatron’s quarters for a bit of rest when both of them stopped in surprise when they found the clinic empty.

“Huh…” Megatron huffed, his golden optics skirting along each berth as they narrowed. “I wonder where he…”

“There you two are!”

Both Soundwave and Megatron turned to find Arcee walking over to them, the femme smirking up at the white mech as she walked and Megatron snorted. **_Well, I suppose it is better than the normal scowl, maybe things really are changing._**

“Arcee? Where is everyone?” He asked gesturing towards the empty clinic.

“Ratchet and Knockout are in his quarters, guess the transfer of the sparkling went well enough but Knockout has been sick to his tanks since then. As for Orion, he said his wing was feeling better and he went up top to get some air, but that isn’t why I have been looking for the two of you.” She said with a sly smile and Megatron frowned at the look of it.

“Ohh?” He inquired nervously, looking down at Soundwave who merely shrugged.

Arcee laughed. “Don’t worry, it is nothing awful, actually quite the opposite, you seeee…” An excited and uncharacteristic squeak erupted from the femme then and Megatron leaned back fearfully at the unusual sound. Arcee laughed, her servos going to her intake as she apologized. “S-sorry, but now that everything is calm, and we only have a couple more days the crew and I, well we…”

Megatron frowned impatiently. “What femme? I am exhausted and would like to make it to my berth before I collapse out…”

“We want to perform the ceremony of Lord High Protector!” She interrupted with another squeal, her servos clapping in front of her like a sparkling causing Megatron to back away slowly. Seeing the ever grim and miserable femme so… So _flighty_ was terrifying and he didn’t know what such a ceremony was but given the way it made the femme act he wanted no part in it.

Soundwave glanced at his friend in amusement, his faceplates smiling as he noted Megatron’s stiff frame. “It is a ceremony that establishes one mech the highest honor next to the Prime, Megatron. His protector in a way, he or she protects the Prime as the Prime protects everyone else, a rather formal affair really.” He explained just to have Megatron look down at him, the new Prime appearing even more confused than ever.

“A ceremony?” He asked quietly, his optics ridge drawn low as he tried to figure out how Soundwave seemed to know what that was, then again, what didn’t Soundwave know?

Arcee gaped at the former warlord. “Yes… Haven’t you ever heard of it? I mean, it hasn’t happened in eons because Optimus is the first Prime in ages and there was a war immediately following his ascension and all, but still it used to happen all the time.” She said incredulously just to have Megatron snort and roll his optics.

“Not too many slaves had the luxury of history lessons, femme.” He said gruffly as he scowled at her.

She rolled her optics in turn, “Yes well, you haven’t been a slave in some time Megatron, no excuse.” As Megatron glared at her she waved her servo dismissively at the disdain in his optics and continued. “Anyways, given that we do not know what will happen once we leave here, and before anything else tries to kill us all we have decided to have the ceremony here, on Earth. What do you think?”

Megatron rubbed his tired faceplates. “Just who would be _my_ protector femme? Everyone on this ship is smaller than me, beyond Predaking.”

She frowned up at him. “It isn’t the _size_ of the bot that matters, but their loyalty, their commitment to the Prime, and their honor thuuuus, we thought Orion would be perfect.”

Megatron paused for a moment, his aching optics peering through his digits at the femme as he considered her proposal. Part of him wanted to laugh out loud, not that he questioned Orion’s honor, or commitment but given his recent frame change he was even smaller than Soundwave now and… Did he really want to place another title of destiny on the mech?

Orion was already part of Primus, was the only remaining Prime of the original thirteen, he had lost his memories, gained them, lost a bond recently, fought both the Fallen, and Unicron, almost went mad off of dark energon, and now needed to somehow restore Cybertron to its glory… Did he truly want to place more responsibility on his love like that?

“I… I would need to speak to Orion about this,” He said quietly, his helm spinning both with exhaustion and worry.

Arcee looked up at him in surprise, stepping away silently as he walked past her then. “I, I didn’t…” She muttered in confusion but Soundwave smiled at her gently.

“I believe he is worried that Orion has had plenty enough on his plate already, that is all.” He assured her before nodding his helm to her and following after his leader.

They walked in silence for a bit, Megatron lost in a storm of concerns while Soundwave merely lost himself in his full spark.

“I am tired Soundwave.” Megatron muttered finally, his steps slowing as if to prove his words.

Soundwave nodded, “Yes, I imagine you are.” He agreed with a sigh. He knew his friend was tired, but not only in the physical sense but on a larger scale, he supposed they all were.

“I am going to go see Orion, you may go to our quarters if you wish.” Megatron suggested with a tight smile and Soundwave smiled back.

“I think I will, Megatron. You, you should speak to him anyways, about… Well everything.”

Megatron grunted wearily, his helm lifting as he felt Soundwave pat his back before the smaller mech wandered off towards their quarters. In so many ways he wanted to join the mech but Soundwave was right, he needed to speak to Orion about what happened during their bonding, he needed to know that… That the mech didn’t hate him.

His steps were heavy and slow by the time he made it to the upper deck, a sigh pulling from him as he entered the code for the hanger door and finally stepped out into the blinding sunlight.

Blinking painfully as he adjusted his optics the new Prime could help but smile at what he found when his vision cleared.

Orion was in his Predacon form at the end of the landing pad, his visage much different than the last time Megatron had seen him in his alt-form. No longer was he a pearlescent white, massive, and noble looking but a beautiful array of blues, reds, and silver. He was much smaller as well, his frame two thirds of the size it used to be and his scars glittered in the sun like morning dew.

He sat quietly at the edge, his wings tight to his sides, his tail wrapped around his legs protectively, and helm dipped low so that Megatron couldn't see it.

Yes, no longer was Orion this noble god-like creature but a broken, scarred, and insecure one and yet… He was magnificent none the less.

Heaving another heavy sigh Megatron started his long walk towards his love, his spark and processor reeling fearfully as he approached. What would Orion say? Was he appalled by what he had seen, what he had felt… Was he afraid? Would he accept everything Megatron had done, who he had become or… Or would he hate him?

His steps clanged loudly along the metal under them, and he cursed inwardly for his size and less than graceful approach but he was too tired, too nervous to ease his weary steps.

Orion’s helm lifted as he neared, the predacon growling softly and nostrils flaring as he caught scent of his mate before he finally turned towards him.

Megatron froze, his golden optics peering deeply into the mismatched red and blue ones that greeted him. He knew those optics, no matter what form surrounded them yet, it wasn’t his young innocent Orion that stared back, it was an older, wiser, and more weary mech that looked out from behind them and he wondered if his optics held the same changes…

“Orion, I…” He started, his words stuck in his throat and his spark as he realized, he didn’t know what to say. _I’m sorry? I am sorry for nearly drowning you in my darkness. I tried to warn you. You should have known! I HATE MYSELF!..._ Instead he fell silent, his shoulders slumping as he lowered his helm and just stood there.

The wind sang around him, whirling and swaying with a much lighter tune than the agonizing thunder that came from behind his chestplates, he was terrified. For so long he had feared losing this mech, had lost him time and time again and he wondered if, if in the end Orion would leave _because_ of him, because of what he had done…

He could hear the light clips of claws move along the metal paneling, his frame stiffening as the sounds grew closer. Would Orion at least stay and talk or, or just walk by? Did he even deserve this mech’s attention, had he ever? Soundwave could spout whatever poetry he wanted, and it did soothe some burns but at the end, Megatron knew what he was, who he was and now… So did Orion.

A purr sounded before him, the steps stilling, and he raised his helm, ready to face whatever Orion needed him to when he gasped as Orion’s great helm rubbed against his chestplates.

Blinking in surprise he peered down at the mech, his optics softening as Orion continued to brush against him lovingly, a thin stream of coolant coming from the beast’s beautiful optics and he felt the tremor of fear resonate in their bond. It seemed Orion had been just as fearful as he had.

“Orion… Love…” Megatron whispered, his long arms curling around Orion’s helm as he pulled him closer and nuzzled his helm against the side of Orion’s long one. Finally his chaotic field spilled open releasing his relief, fear, sadness, anger with himself, all of it pouring forth at once even as he tried to hold it back.

Orion snorted out as his mate’s feelings washed over him, releasing his own tightly clamped field and Megatron laughed as his mate’s fears reflected his own.

“Do, do you hate me?” Megatron asked, his voice quite and far stiller than his hammering spark, yet he had to know.

Orion huffed at the question, his helm pulling away as he eyed his love disapprovingly. **/Fly with me?/** He asked suddenly over their bond and Megatron swallowed at the lack of answer and odd request.

“A-alright…” He said nervously as he stepped back and transformed.

Orion’s optics widened a bit as they scanned over his new alt-mode, something the new Prime hadn’t even had a chance to look at yet,  and he wasn’t sure if the look was an approving one or not as Orion pulled his field in tight once more and opened his wings.

“Are you certain you should be flying?” Megatron asked glancing at Orion’s recently healed wing.

 **/Nothing would stop me from this flight, Megatron./** Orion answered, his dermas rising into a toothy grin and Megatron felt his spark soar at the sight of it. **/I have always wished to fly with you, and now I get that wish./**

Megatron laughed as Orion’s sharp grin grew, the predacon hopping to his four pedes before turning and running to the end of the ship and springing into the open air with a delighted roar.

Revving his engines Megatron shot after his love, his perfect plating gleaming in the sunlight as he whirled through the skies.

Orion dove at first, inhaling deeply as the air rushed by him before finally unfurling his wings and spinning. As the sound of an engine sounded next to him he raised his helm happily, watching as Megatron moved in close his frame spinning with Orion’s and it felt as if they were dancing in the sky.

Together they whirled, spun, weaved, and laughed, each moving with the other effortlessly, seamlessly as if the vorns of war, of pain never occurred and they were back to being two innocent youths that planned to take on the world.

Megatron wasn’t certain how long they danced above the world for time had no hold on him then, all he was aware of was the perfection he found in this beautifully simple moment.

 **/Follow me!/** Orion instructed excitedly, his frame swinging to the left as it began to descend and Megatron eagerly followed.

The two made their way down to the Earth, a surprisingly lush oasis coming into view as they flew and Megatron chuckled. **_Leave it to Orion to find a place like this in the middle of a desert._**

Apparently Orion felt his awe as the smaller mech turned his helm and smiled joyfully back at him. **/There is beauty even in the most desolate places, if only one looks close enough to see it. You taught me that, Megatronus./**

Megatron stilled his engines, his frame almost falling from the sky for his pause before he caught himself and fired them to life again. He knew what the mech was speaking of, even though he had nearly forgotten… It had been so long ago, in his little room in the slave quarters when he had first brought Orion there and the little mech had found himself transfixed by the chimes he had made and placed all over his ceiling.

“I, I had nearly forgotten…” he muttered as the two of them slowed their flight and transformed before landing softly in the sands below.

Orion chuckled with a shrug, peering back at his love as he did so. “Well, it seems we have all been focused on the wrong things, doesn’t it? Perhaps, perhaps we need to hold to the good things a little tighter, well, when we can at least.”

Megatron blinked at him, his processor filled with images from the past as he stared at the mech before him. “Yes…” He whispered thoughtfully as Orion moved closer to him. His frame trembled both with fear and excitement as his mate, his love approached, his unanswered question hanging between them like a storm cloud just waiting to erupt yet as Orion continued his path, his arms opening, encircling Megatron’s waist and helm rising until their lips met… The storm fell away.

Megatron half sobbed, half laughed under the other mech’s kiss, his shoulders easing from their tense stature and legs growing weak as he wrapped his arms around Orion.

**/I have never hated you Megatron, I am not even sure I could. I love you and will always love you, now, then, and always./**

Megatron’s frame hitched, his sobs growing louder as he abandoned their kiss and pulled Orion’s little frame against his tightly, holding him as if he was the most precious thing in all the worlds and really, wasn’t he?

“I l-love… I love you s-so m-much, Orion.” He stuttered out between sobs, his helm lowered hiding in the crook of the smaller mech’s shoulder as he wept.

Orion sighed happily, his field opening wide as he rubbed the back of his love’s helm. “And I you Megatron. We, we have another chance my love, a chance to do this right and I think we are worth it.”

“Ohhh, gods…” Megatron moaned, his shaking legs finally going out from under him and he and Orion fell to their knees amongst the desert flowers. “Th-thank you… Thank y-you… Ohhh…”

They remained silent for there were no more words needed just then, just healing, forgiveness, and love. Orion cried silently as well but he had had his moment the night before, for now this was Megatron’s turn. He held the larger mech gently, rubbing his helm and back, wiping his tears away when needed all the while keeping his field open and filled with warmth.

Finally the new Prime’s cries eased, his exhausted frame leaning heavily on Orion’s and he wondered if having Orion as his protector wasn’t such a bad idea after all. Yes, the mech was small but strength of spark, of will that his love held was like none he had ever seen and in many, _many_ ways he had always been Megatron’s protector anyways…

 “Let us lie in the shade love, you feel exhausted.” Orion suggested, feeling his mate’s weariness over their wondrous bond and Megatron nodded silently in agreement.

Again Orion’s hidden strength showed as he helped Megatron rise to his unsteady pedes, guiding the white  mech to a small cave just outside of the oasis before lying him back down. “Rest here love. I will watch over you.” Orion whispered before kissing Megatron’s helm and sitting next to him.

“W-wait,” Megatron called as he lifted himself into a sitting position. “Lie next to me?”

Orion titled his helm thoughtfully before shifting his frame so that he could lay comfortably next to his love, one arm crossing Megatron’s chassis as he snuggled his helm atop the mech’s shoulder. “I won’t be much of a look out if I fall into recharge along with you.” Orion mumbled, yet his smile never wavered as he nuzzled closer.

Megatron chuckled. “You have always been looking out for me one way or another, haven’t you mech?”

Orion scoffed. “Yes, and it is an exhausting job! Thank Primus I have Soundwave’s help otherwise I think I would just bolt you to the floor.”

Megatron laughed harder. “Yes, he seemed to struggle with it as well through the war. Seems only when we are together can you two keep me in check.”

“Mhhh.” Orion hummed. “I am happy he bonded with us, honestly had I known it possible I would have suggested it beforehand… I know it came on suddenly, and he didn’t intend to, to… Do, do you think he is, is ok with it?” He asked nervously, lifting himself on one arm as he peered into Megatron’s optics worriedly.

“Oh you two, honestly…” Megatron sighed in disbelief as he turned his helm towards his mate. “You know he asked nearly the same thing, or maybe it came through the bond, but either way neither of you have anything to fear. He is ecstatic, Orion. He has downplayed his joy for my melancholy mood today, but his control of the bond is erratic at best and he, he is positively beaming on the inside.”

Orion’s field flared with joy and he smiled brightly in relief. “Good!” He exclaimed, rubbing at his chest plates as he thought of his trine. “He, he has never bonded before has he?”

“No, no we are his first.” Megatron confirmed and Orion scoffed.

“Poor mech…” The smaller mech said sarcastically as he shook his helm and Megatron laughed.

“Poor mech indeed but, for all our faults he somehow still loves us.”

Orion settled against Megatron once more, his spark full of hope and dreams when an idea crept into his helm and he peered up at Megatron once again. “Umm… M-Megatron, I was wondering…”

“Yes Orion?” His love asked, lifting his helm to glance down at the suddenly timid sounding mech. When Orion remained silent, his optics flashing as he got lost in his thoughts and nervousness Megatron lifted himself higher so he could look deeper into Orion’s optics. “What is it love? What is bothering you so badly? You can ask me anything, Orion… You know that right?”

“I know, I know…” Orion mumbled, “I, I was just… What would you think of, of a… Arrrgh…”

Megatron tilted his helm, his concern growing the more Orion struggled to say whatever it was that was eating so heavily at his spark. “Orion, just say it love. You don’t have to be afraid of…”

“What would think of trying for another sparkling?” Orion blurted out, his optics wide as saucers at how his question exploded out of him and he had to fight from hiding his helm after his outburst. **_Ohh, that was wretchedly abrupt! Perhaps I can try again? Ohhh, but it is out there now and, and… What if he doesn’t want to because, because of how he lost us before and, and why am I even thinking of this now!? Or fight isn’t over and anything could still happen and…_**

As Orion whimpered, his thoughts devolving into wave after wave of panicked garble Megatron remained oddly still and silent through it all, and it was his silence that brought Orion out of his fears. He looked up, his mismatched optics peering at Megatron sheepishly as he cleared his vocalizer.

“Umm, Megatron? I, I am sorry I just blurted it all…”

“How are we going to save Cybertron, Orion? Will it be with your spark? Will you be the sacrifice?”

Orion pulled back for the darkness he heard in his love’s voice. “W-what? Oh, oh I, I see. I didn’t…”

Megatron growled, his exhaustion falling away as he sat up and rubbed his helm angrily. “We don’t know, do we!? We… All of this, all of this could mean nothing! The bond, saving the universe, me being a Prime… What the frag is it all for if you just need to die!?”

Orion sat up as well, his optics dim as he scanned over his love’s scowling faceplates. “Well, no… I mean, when we restore Cybertron it will…”

“It will what!?” Megatron snapped, his spark aching with the grief he had tried to hide away. Yes he wanted to enjoy whatever moments they had, yes he didn’t want his fears to blind him from enjoying it all but, but if it was all for naught, he would rather know then let hope build in his spark just, just to have it all _ripped_  away from him again.

Orion vented patiently. “Megatron, I will not be the sacrifice…” He whispered, his helm falling as he peered at his servos sadly. “It is not me, well, not directly… Yet I will need to help, we will.”

Megatron froze. “Wh-what!?” He exclaimed, his helm spinning as he stared at Orion in shock, yet his hope withered as Orion’s faceplates fell. “Wait, if… If not you then, then who?”

Orion shifted uncomfortably, “I, I was not the only spark that bore a piece of Primus, Megatron.”

The former warlord narrowed his optics in confusion. “What are you talking about, Orion… Stop speaking in riddles! Who is the _sacrafi…”_

“Stop!” Orion cried suddenly, his servos going over his audials as he fought to vent and Megatron blinked at the smaller mech guiltily. He felt awful for scaring, or hurting the mech but he truly didn’t understand why Orion was acting like this, nor could he understand what other bot could possibly have a piece of Primus in it.

“Orion…” He called softly, his servo going to the side of his love’s helm as he pulled it towards him. “I, I am sorry, my love, I just don’t understand. I, I don’t want to lose you, I don’t want _anyone_ to be sacrificed for the good of all of us.”

Orion scoffed, his arms falling as they wrapped around his chassis tightly. His optics burned as he smiled sadly, coolant slipping down his cheek when he finally lifted his helm and somberly looked into his love’s optics. “Technically, the s-sacrifice has already been made, Megatron… All that is left now is to bring the spark to Cybertron and, and…” He sighed in frustration, his optics narrowing as his tears fell. “Please don’t make me say it Megatron… Think damnit. Who has a piece of Primus, a piece of _me_ in their spark and, and has already…”

Megatron vented in suddenly, his optics widening as the pieces fell into place and he felt dizzy from the realization. “Oh…” Was all he said as he turned away, his frame rigid and spark aching as he did so. “How, how long have… Have you known?”

Orion wiped at his tears, his frame slumping as he shrugged. “I don’t, not really, but the hints have been there. He, he even told me that… That he had a b-big j-job to d-do.” His voice cracked as he thought of when he had last seen the incredible spark that would save them all… So small, but so very brave…

Megatron snorted, a sad but proud smile coming across his weary faceplates and he looked back at his love in awe. “Strong little guy, isn’t he?”

Orion laughed quietly, wiping at his optics as he nodded. “Just like his Sire.”

Megatron shook his helm, his strong arms reaching out and plucking Orion up from the ground before settling him into his lap. “No, my love… I think the strength he holds mirrors yours far more than my own, hmm, and perhaps Soundwave’s. He seems to have inherited Soundwave’s sense at least, thank Primus for that.”

Orion laughed harder, his arms wrapping around his love as the pain in his spark eased. “Thank Primus indeed…” He pulled back after a moment, his optics still dim as he scanned over Megatron’s. “I should have told you my theory earlier… I just, I just didn’t want to hurt you more.”

“I am not upset Orion, like you said you didn’t, _don’t_ truly know and besides… As long as he does not mourn the choice, I can be nothing but damn proud.”

Orion nodded, his optics looking off for a moment. “He seemed ok with it… Excited perhaps and it was him that… That asked for a brother, or sister and I told him… Well, thus why I asked.”

Megatron smiled as he lifted his servo and placed it under Orion’s chin, gently turning his helm back towards him. “Orion, I would be honored to have another sparkling with you, my love.”

As Megatron lowered his helm Orion’s spark soared. “Megatron…” He whimpered as their lips met and he pulled the mech closer.

Megatron groaned as he flipped them around, lying Orion under him as his servos worked over the achingly familiar, yet vastly different frame his mate now held. How many times in the past had he felt these scars, how many time recently had he caressed those wings, it was a perfect blend of everything his love had ever been and now, now he could have it forever.

“I love you Orion, I love our trine, I love our sparkling, and I know, I _know_ I will love our new one.”

Orion gasped under the soft caresses, his frame shivering with need and spark filled with hope, hope he had not truly held in far too long. “Megatronus, I… I believe this might be the beginning our happy ending.” He whispered against his lover’s lips and Megatron sighed at the wondrous prediction that sentence held because for the first time ever, he actually believed it as well…

“Maybe, Orion…” He answered as he held his love tight. “Just maybe it is and this time we…”

“We will do it right.” Orion finished for him, his optics open and loving as he moved against his love.

The world fell away for the two mechs, the sky above slowly working into the splendor of sunset and a melody of oranges, pinks, and purples blanketed the sky, yet neither truly noticed as they lost themselves to one another.

There was a hint, a whisper of hope now, something neither had felt in so very long, at least not when it came to dreams and as they made love under the painted sky that hope swelled within their broken sparks, blooming brightly as the shadows of doubt finally lifted.

There was light, there was hope, and soon, maybe, all of their dreams would come true...


End file.
